Non-compliance is a major urban planning challenge in Ghana. Based on indepth interviews with key stakeholders, the paper examines the complex and multifaceted factors that contribute to low or non-compliance with building permit regulations and planning standards in Accra and its environs. The paper uses the interviews to assess potential responses to the problem of non-compliance and its negative impacts. In doing so the paper contributes to wider knowledge and debate about the challenges of planning enforcement in contexts where regulatory power is weak and variable. Suggestions are made for overcoming barriers to planning compliance in the Accra-Tema city-region. It is hoped that such an examination of the issues from multiple stakeholders' perspectives will improve the knowledge of the dynamics of non-compliance so as to initiate effective planning strategies to address the problem. The paper makes specific recommendations to improve planning practices in the AccraTema city-region.

PurposeAccra, the capital of Ghana is far away from major earthquake zones of the world, but has a history of destructive earthquakes. However, its seismic risk does not attract the requisite attention. The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of Accra's seismic risk, discuss challenges faced and risk‐reduction initiatives, and then to propose specific strategies that are necessary to reduce this risk.Design/methodology/approachThe approach taken is to: give an overview of Accra's profile and seismicity; discuss disaster management structures in place and the challenges faced; discuss seismic risk‐reduction programs; discuss the risk‐reduction strategies of two cities in other developing countries, with the view of identifying specific strategies that would be helpful to Accra; and conclude with specific risk‐reduction action measures that are important for Accra.FindingsA number of specific recommendations to reduce Accra's seismic risk are made at the end of the paper. Among these, the need to set up a national organization with the sole mandate of championing seismic risk reduction is identified as a critical step needed. Without this, and others, the paper contends that Accra would not experience any significant reduction of its seismic risk.Social implicationsThe paper presents a viewpoint of important action steps that need to be taken to reduce Accra's seismic risk. The points raised in the paper are considered as important first steps necessary for any form of sustainable disaster risk reduction. The paper would thus be of interest to any person or organization interested in helping reduce Accra's seismic risk.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to put Accra's seismic risk in a global context, and then propose action steps that are necessary to help reduce this risk.

Energy has become the driving force for national infrastructure development, including the socioeconomic development of every society. Ghana, like many other African countries, formulated developmental policies to attain middle-income status in the medium term. Socioeconomic growth comes with an upsurge in electricity consumption. Ghana seeks to use industrialization to achieve its middle-income target. To achieve this target, there is a need to develop a reliable, sustainable and affordable energy supply in a benign environment. The entry point for Ghana to become a middle-income economy is a cost-effective and reliable electricity supply. Ghana is endowed with fossil fuel, hydro and renewable resources to drive its industrial ambitions, but the indigenous gas fields feeding some thermal plants for electricity production are decreasing and could run out by early 2030 unless new fields are discovered and may also be affected by price volatility. The untapped hydro resources are also small and unreliable if the country seeks to become a middle-income country. Despite the abundant renewable resources, they are intermittent and do not present a baseload option. In safeguarding Ghana’s energy security, the country seeks to include nuclear energy into her energy mix. This research paper discusses the major drivers for nuclear energy inclusion.

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