Mr. Enock Teye Mensah, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, has urged students of Architecture and Planning to find new ways of applying time-tested principles to tackle the growing challenges of shelter, increasing traffic, and filth in the cities.
These, he noted, had become a major public concern at the time of their training.
The expectation was that they would bring their knowledge, expertise and best practices to bear on the planning, design and supervision of the building industry for the benefit of the nation.
Mr. Mensah said this in an address read for him at the launch of the seventh annual week celebration of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) College of Architecture and Planning Students Society (CAPSS) in Kumasi.
It was on the theme: “Housing and Infrastructure: Key Elements to Promote Development in Contemporary Times, The Role of our Profession”.
The minister acknowledged the fast changing and impressive skyline of urban cities and towns but pointed out that these were occurring at a time when rural/urban migration was on the rise with its attendant problems – shanties, sanitation and strain on public utilities.
The oilfields had also exacerbated problems associated with traffic congestion.
Mr. Mensah said this would require the students to use all the skills acquired as professionals to address the challenges.
Mr. Kwabena Boateng Mensah, President of CAPSS, said housing and infrastructure were vital for the promotion of development in modern times.
He said it was important the state took advantage of economies of scale in land management, bulk construction materials and credit for real estate developers, among other things.
He invited his colleagues to rise up to the challenge and help to improve the building and construction industry.
