Works Department

The Works Department shall;

• Assist the Assembly to formulate policies on works within the framework of national policies;
• Assist to establish and specify the programmes of action necessary for the implementation of physical plans;
• Facilitate the implementation of policies on works and report to the Assembly;
• Advise the Assembly on matters relating to works in the district;
• Assist to prepare tender documents for all civil works projects to be undertaken by the Assembly through contracts or community initiated projects;
• Facilitate the construction, repair and maintenance of; i. public roads including feede roads, and ii.drains along any streets in the major settlements in the district;
• advise on the construction, repair, maintenance and diversion or alteration of the course of any street;
• encourage and facilitate maintenance of Public buildings and facilitate in the district;
• assist to build, equip, close and maintain markets and prohibit the erection of stalls in places other than the markets;
• …….assist to peg and demarche all physical development prepared for all major settlements in the distric; assist to inspect projects undertaken by the District Assembly with relevant Departments of the Assembly advise the Assembly on the prohibition of: digging of burrow pits or other excavations, and the sinking of wells or their closure.

The steps on how to acquire a building permit  

The legal criteria for obtaining a building permit in Ghana mandate that both locals and visitors adhere to the established procedures in order to accomplish so. Let’s go over the procedures for obtaining a building permit in Ghana.

Step 1. Pick and complete an application form

Preparing the permit application is the first step in requesting building permission in Ghana. You have to pick a form from the District Planning Authority, fill it out, and include all building plans as required.

Attached are all the following documents as required by the local authorities (Source: Accra Metropolitan Assembly)

1. Submit your full set of applications to the Physical Planning Department
2. Attach completed  land ownership  document from Lands Commission
3. Attach four copies of architectural drawings signed by a certified Architect
4. Attach four copies of structural drawings signed by an Engineer
5. The proposed development must conform to the zoning status
6. A certified soil test report
7. Fire certified report including drawings from the Ghana National Fire Service
8. Environmental Protection Agency Permit
9. Structural integrity report in case construction development has already commenced or is completed.

Depending on the usage, size, and type an applicant may be asked to provide additional information.

Step 2. Application review

Every permit application must go through a review process and the local authorities usually call it vetting. There are three layers of vetting that need to be finished before a building permit may be issued. vetting by the Physical Planning Department, the Works Department, and other relevant departments considering the sort of structure you are developing.

Depending on the type of building you’re erecting you may be required to make changes to the application after review and resubmit it to the DPA for further assignments.

Step 3. Site inspection

A building inspection officer will visit the property to conduct a site inspection now that the application has been thoroughly reviewed. Inspectors typically spend only a few minutes on a property, checking for smoke detectors, checking for floods, and making sure everything is measured and secured properly before leaving.

Step 4. Assessment and recommendation

The site inspector will look at your residential renovation plan before approving or disapproving it. This will be followed by an evaluation and any necessary recommendations to the SPC based on the inspection done.

Step 5. Decision on application

After all the prerequisites have been satisfied, it is decision time. The entire submission will be evaluated and taken into consideration by the SPC. The application will either be accepted, refused, or put on hold for later review if all requirements are met.

Step 6. Issuance of a building permit

If approved, the applicant receives a building permit in Ghana from the licensing office and will issue you an official permit certificate. Once you start your work, you need to submit it to your building inspector, then they will approve it.

Summary

Keep in mind that each building permit has an expiration date. The building permit that has been issued will make this obvious. Therefore, it will be easy to comprehend the permit itself, and if for some reason you need more time, you may file a request, follow the procedures, and supply the information that is required.