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The Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has charged members of the newly inaugurated Engineering Council of Ghana’s technical committees to place public safety and quality at the heart of their work.
He said the frequent collapse of buildings recently and breakdown of water systems had become a stain on the country’s development efforts and eroded public trust, causing the wastage of scarce resources.
Mr Adjei said yesterday at the inauguration of the Engineering Council of Ghana’s Technical Committees.
“The proliferation of engineering failures — from building collapse to water system breakdowns — is a stain on Ghana's development efforts. It erodes public trust and wastes scarce resources.
These committees, working together with the board and other key stakeholders to improve the environment, must be the antidote to these challenges,” the minister said in a speech read on his behalf by the ministry’s Director of Human Resources, Ebenezer Sam.
The committees inaugurated were the Disciplinary and Legal/Ethics Committee, the Education and Training Committee, the Finance and Administration Committee, the Licensing and Registration Committee, the Public and International Affairs Committee, and the Standards and Professional Practice Committee.
Members took the Oath of Office and the Oath of Secrecy administered by the Board Chairperson of the Council, Dr Sitsofe David Addo.
It brought together representatives of professional bodies in allied fields such as the Architects Registration Council and the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
The minister said the establishment of the committees marked “another crucial step in operationalising the Engineering Council” under Act 819, and described their mandate as one of strategic national importance.
Mr Adjei outlined clear expectations for the committees, including zero tolerance for substandard building materials, an end to poor supervision of engineering projects, and a strict ban on unaccredited online sales practitioners.
He emphasised that each committee had a vital role, ranging from safeguarding professional integrity and developing accreditation criteria to regulating standards and expanding public outreach.
The minister directed the committees to work with the governing board to establish their work plans immediately, stressing three guiding principles, namely absolute rigour, fearless independence, and utmost integrity.
“Your only constituency is the Ghanaian public. Any hints of bias or corruption will be dealt with severely,” he cautioned.
The minister further signalled that the government expected tangible outcomes within a reasonable timeframe, such as revised engineering standards, disciplinary decisions, and new accreditation frameworks.
Mr Adjei assured the committees of the ministry’s support, but added that the board would be held accountable for results.
“Remember, your expertise is not privileged for deprivation but a service to the nation. You are, therefore, a vital layer of technical oversight standing between substandard parties and a safe, prosperous Ghana.
Let your legacy be a measurable improvement in the quality and safety of every engineering project in the country,” the minister added.
The Registrar of the council, Isaac Bedu, described the inauguration as an important operational milestone in fulfilling its mandate under the Engineering Council Act, 2011 (Act 819).
He explained that the establishment of the committees provided the essential mechanism through which the council’s regulatory role would become fully functional and effective.
Mr Bedu emphasised that it was through the dedicated work of these committees that the council would regulate, oversee, and advance the engineering profession in the country.
“The distinguished professionals we inaugurate today have been selected for their exemplary expertise, proven leadership and unwavering selfless dedication.
They represent the best from industry and academia, individuals who have already contributed significantly to the engineering practice in the country,” he added.
