Before the Floods: When Ghana's town planning was ranked among the world's best in 1963

Before annual floods became a recurring problem in many parts of the country, Ghana was once highly regarded for its town planning, earning praise from renowned international planners and experts for its long-term urban development vision.

This was evident in March 1963 when a consulting town planner from Munich, Germany, Professor Hoegg, visited Ghana and expressed admiration for the country's urban planning, describing the development of some towns and cities as comparable to the best planning standards in the world.

Accra storm drains undergoing intensified desilting exercise

Professor Hoegg was particularly impressed by Ghana's educational infrastructure.

In a report in the Ghanaian Times, he described the Kwame Nkrumah University in Kumasi and the University of Ghana, Legon, as institutions of the highest standard, stating that their design and facilities matched and, in his view, exceeded those of universities in Europe.

“The Kwame Nkrumah University in Kumasi and the University of Ghana, Legon, are absolutely first class in style and facilities. No university in Europe could compare with them,” Prof Hoegg had said.

Read the Ghanaian Times report below:

Professor Hoegg, a consulting town planner in Munich, West Germany has said that Ghana had surpassed most emergent countries in the field of town planning and would soon compare favourably with the advanced European countries.

The Professor, who reconstructed Munich after the last world war and Istanbul, Turkey, had recently been working in Monrovia, Liberia, on the city and regional planning.

First Class Style

Professor Hoegg was speaking at Accra Airport yesterday before his departure for Germany after a five-day visit to the country.

“The Kwame Nkrumah University in Kumasi and the University of Ghana, Legon, are absolutely first class in style and facilities. No university in Europe could compare with them,” he added.

He said Ghana had made great advancement in the construction of good roads and had been highly impressed by the country’s achievements since independence.

Professor Hoegg praised the “amazing degree of foresight shown in long-term planning in Ghana.”

Ghana's Flooding Crisis: A development failure demanding structural reform

While here, he was taken round by Mr P. N. K Turkson, Chief Town Planning Officer, and saw new buildings in Accra, Tema Harbour, and townships in Kumasi.

See the image below:

MAG/VPO

📸❤️ THE GHANAWEB DAD & ME CHALLENGE IS BACK FOR ITS SECOND EDITION!