KNUST: Department of Planning and Ghana Association of Student Planners holds symposium

The Department of Planning of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the Ghana Association of Student Planners, held a symposium and exit summit on the theme “Environmental Justice as a Means of Achieving Sustainable City Development”.

The event was hosted at the Casely Hayford Building Ground floor on Friday, 26^th August 2022.

Prof. Clifford Amoako, Head of the Department of Planning, in his welcoming address, indicated that the Department would be elevated into a School of Planning after approval by the University's Academic Board.

Dr. Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, while making a presentation on the theme disclosed that an Alumni of the Department of Planning is a planner for the City of Toronto. He therefore commended the department for producing planners who can work globally.

He indicated that the urban poor are mostly affected when the environment is depleted. He noted that the urban poor and young families who cannot afford to rent in reputable neighbourhoods endure the consequences of environmental injustice such as water pollution, perennial flooding and among others.

The Director General indicated that environmental justice occurs when people have the right to participate in the governance and use of resources in their local community. He further added that environmental justice is enshrined in relevant documents and even the constitution. He further noted that “environmental injustice begins to thrive when planners compromise on the ethics of his or her profession."

Ending his speech, he charged all planners to “Create a Ghana where there's a real optimization of resources to make the country a better place for the citizenry”. He noted that this will require the need to view professional planning practice from integrated and multidisciplinary perspectives.

Dr. Stephen Appiah Takyi-Patron of GASP-KNUST, Gideon Adu Sarfo, the GASP President, Pln Mohammed Alhassan, President of Ghana Institute of Planners, Dr Owusu Amponsah, Department of Planning Postgraduate Programme Coordinator, Dr.(Mrs) Gifty Adom Asamoah, Department of Planning Undergraduate Programme Director, Prof Michael Poku-Boansi, KNUST Vice-Dean, School of Graduate Studies Dr. Mrs Beatrice Sarpong-Danquah, Lecturer at the Department of Accounting and Finance and Mrs. Beatrice K.Osei-Bonsu, Chief Development Planning Officer, REPO (Ashanti) were among the invited guests who attended the event.