OUR MANDATE

The ARC was established to:
  • Uphold the integrity of the architectural profession, ensuring the development, maintenance and enforcement of high standard of technical and professional education at all levels, promoting best practice and sanctioning all who fall short of the expected standard;
  • Improve management performance through a highly skilled and well-motivated staff, and efficient administration and information management system, in relation to the architectural profession and protection of the public;
  • Regulate the building draughtsmanship vocation
The Council fulfils its mandate through:
  • Developing and updating standards for architectural practice.
  • Ensuring quality education of architectural practitioners and all professions and vocations that relate to architecture at all tiers; including lower, middle and higher-level manpower.
  • Maintaining high standards of professional practice, ethics and code of conduct by all practitioners.
  • Promoting and assisting Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the enforcement of the National Building Regulations 1996 (L.I. 1630).
  • Ensuring adherence to planning and environmental protection regulations and promoting good and sustainable development.
  • Supporting and promoting policies aimed at national poverty reduction, slum upgrading and access to decent housing for all.
  • Formulating programmes aimed at greater affordability of housing provisions being delivered by public and private agencies.
  • Promoting research into and use of local building materials while finding good and durable local substitutes to costly imported building materials.
  • Promoting research into new technologies and standards in building and construction.
  • Promoting research into and formulating policies for the enhancement of architectural practice.

FUNCTION

Section 5 of the Architects Act 1969, NLCD 357 spells out the functions of the ARC as follows:

The Council shall be concerned with the architectural profession and shall be charged with the responsibility of securing the highest practicable standards in the practice of architecture in Ghana.

The other functions of the Council are to:
  • prescribe or approve courses of study for, and the conduct and standards of qualifying examinations for registration as a registered architect under this Act;
  • maintain and publish a register of architects;
  • prescribe and uphold standards of professional conduct and ethics, and
  • control the practice of architecture.