The Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) has issued a statement clarifying its position on the ongoing dispute between the Architects Registration Council (ARC) and the Architectural Society of Ghana (ASG). According to the GIA, its stance has been misrepresented, and it does not claim the statutory regulatory powers vested in the ARC. The Institute stressed that its internal memorandum to its members was not intended as a public statement or an attack on any organisation.
The dispute began after the ASG questioned a letter from the ARC to the Ministry of Works and Housing concerning the Society. The ASG insisted that the memo subsequently circulated by the GIA to its members did not copy the Society, nor was it provided to them despite the communication directly concerning its status. The ASG said the move had affected the Society. The GIA, however, clarified that the internal memorandum was intended solely for its members and was meant to update them on correspondence it had received from the ARC.
The GIA also clarified the statutory roles of the institutions involved. The Architects Registration Council is the statutory regulator established under the Architects Act, 1969 (NLCD 357), with responsibility for registering architects, maintaining the statutory register, setting professional standards, and regulating architectural practice. The GIA noted that it has institutional responsibilities under the same statutory framework, including representation on the governing structure of the ARC.
The Institute said its recognition of the ASG's constitutional right to associate and establish lawful organisations is not in dispute. The ASG has stated that it does not seek to assume the regulatory functions of the ARC and that its objectives include professional development, education, advocacy, and networking. However, the GIA stressed that registration under the Professional Bodies Registration Act, 1973 (NRCD 143) is distinct from recognition or statutory responsibility under the Architects Act, 1969 (NLCD 357).
The GIA further clarified that the position concerning ASG's recognition under the statutory framework was that of the ARC and not the GIA. According to the GIA, its memorandum reported the ARC's position that it does not recognise ASG as the national professional body representing architects within the statutory framework established under NLCD 357. The GIA said it did not make that determination.
The Institute also distanced itself from questions over why ASG was not copied on correspondence sent by the ARC to the supervising Ministry. The GIA said it neither authored the correspondence nor determined its recipients or controlled the ARC's internal administrative processes. The Institute added that issues concerning the registration and status of ASG are currently before a court and said it would not seek to determine the merits of those proceedings through the media.
The GIA remains focused on advancing architectural excellence, upholding professional ethics and standards, supporting the proper regulation of architectural practice, and promoting the public interest. The Institute's clarification aims to set the record straight on its position in the dispute and to avoid confusion over the institutions responsible for regulating and representing the architectural profession.
Key points
- The Ghana Institute of Architects has clarified its position on the ARC-ASG dispute, stating that it does not claim statutory regulatory powers vested in the ARC.
- The Institute has institutional responsibilities under the Architects Act, 1969 (NLCD 357), including representation on the governing structure of the ARC.
- The GIA has distanced itself from questions over why ASG was not copied on correspondence sent by the ARC to the supervising Ministry.
