Gov’t moves to tighten engineering oversight amid safety concerns

Technical committees under the Engineering Council have been inaugurated to tighten oversight of the profession, as the government steps up efforts to tackle engineering failures that have led to building collapses and water system breakdowns.

The move follows the reconstitution of the Council’s governing board earlier this year. The Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, said the committees will serve as the technical arm of the board, with a mandate to enforce standards, licensing, and discipline across the engineering field.

“The proliferation of engineering failures is a stain on Ghana’s development effort,” Adjei said at the inauguration in Accra on Friday.

He warned that such failures erode public trust and waste scarce resources, stressing that the committees’ role is to restore integrity to the sector.

The committees will cover six areas: disciplinary and ethics, education and training, finance and administration, licensing and registration, public and international affairs, and standards and professional practice.

Their tasks include certifying engineers and firms, setting accreditation criteria, enforcing ethical conduct, managing finances, and ensuring compliance with both local and international standards.

Mr. Adjei told members to work with “absolute rigour, fearless independence, and utmost integrity.”

He said there will be zero tolerance for substandard materials, unlicensed practitioners, and poor supervision of engineering works.

He added that the government expects tangible outcomes within a reasonable timeframe, including updated standards, accreditation frameworks, and disciplinary decisions.

“Your expertise is not a privilege for the profession but a service to the nation,” he said.

The minister emphasized that the committees must be insulated from political and commercial pressure, describing the Ghanaian public as their only constituency.

He noted that the Council’s board will be held accountable for outcomes, while the Ministry will monitor progress.

Industry stakeholders have long raised concerns about weak enforcement of engineering standards. Accidents linked to poor supervision and illegal practice have fueled calls for stronger oversight. The establishment of the committees is meant to operationalize provisions of the Engineering Council Act, which seeks to regulate professional practice more stringently.

The minister urged the committees to begin work immediately and collaborate closely with the board to set work plans and priorities.

“Let your legacy be a measurable improvement in the quality and safety of every engineering project in this country,” he said.

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