Ghana Institute of Architects cracks down on fake architects and illegal practice

Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) has announced a nationwide crackdown on individuals impersonating architects and foreign professionals practising illegally in Ghana. This follows the arrest of a suspect using a duplicated architectural stamp and registration number belonging to a licensed architect. Mr. Tony Asare, President of the Ghana Institute of Architects and a Board Member of the Architects Registration Council (ARC), disclosed this in an interview in Accra.

The case came to light after concerns were raised over the authenticity of an architectural stamp used to endorse building drawings submitted to a client. The suspect, identified as Fiati Kwame Edwin, is not a registered architect, and had been using the registration number and identity of Architect Anthony Parker-London, a licensed architect based in Tema, to illegally endorse building drawings. Mr. Asare said, "We discovered that somebody had impersonated an architect. The architect whose registration number was used is Anthony Parker-London. The suspect used the architect's registration number and identity to stamp drawings illegally." The suspect was arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, following a joint operation between the police and the Institute. The duplicated stamp has since been retrieved as part of ongoing investigations.

Mr. Asare said that the GIA was determined to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion to ensure that offenders face prosecution. He also issued a strong warning to foreign architects and firms operating in Ghana without the requisite registration and licensing from the Ghana Institute of Architects and the Architects Registration Council. He noted that for every day someone practices illegally, they are liable to fines of 12 penalty units. He appealed to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to verify the credentials and stamps of architects before approving building drawings. He cautioned that assembly officials who knowingly approve drawings endorsed with fake stamps could be deemed complic