June 28, 2021, BY: Mohammed Alhassan
The Ghana Institute of Planners GIP launched a new website (www.gip.org.gh) on Friday, June 25, 2021, with the aim of enhancing the visibility of the Institute, promoting the dissemination of plans and planning-related discourse as well as enhancing the professional capacity and welfare of its members.
The website was launched by the President of GIP, Planner. Mohammed Alhassan (FGIP) as part of the mid-year Presidential address to members of the Institute. The address was conducted virtually and about 80 members, representing 10% of the total membership of the Institute participated in the ceremony.
Addressing members during the launch, the President stated that “after months in the works, I am happy to officially share with you the fruits or efforts: He added that “the launch of this website marks a watershed moment in the history of the Institute which is 52 years today” He revealed further, that the website offers a refreshed look, improved navigation and a number of new features which will make the overall experience of members and other visitors more impactful on desktop, mobile and tablet devices.
According to Pln. Mohammed Alhassan, this new website provides members of the Institute and the general public with a more intuitive and user-friendly experience that adequately communicates who the Institute is, what it stands for, and what services it provides to both members and the general public. It also serves as a one-stop point for all information about professional planners and planning in Ghana, and provides quick access to websites of all other planning institutes across the commonwealth.
The website has capabilities for handling all event and membership registration activities including registration for Continuing Professional Development courses, Annual General Conference and Meeting, Basic Professional Entry Qualification courses, and application for membership. It also features a range of resources of interest to built environment professionals, academia, students, Ministries, Departments, Agencies, local government entities and the general public. Another key feature of the website is the members portal dedicated to managing members’ data and provides access to only “members in good standing”
The president of the Institute highlighted some of the achievements of his tenure in the last one year to include the development of a new website, the development of guidelines for Continuing Professional Development, the revision of the Institute’s constitution, and the introduction of online applications and payment platforms. He hinted that the publishing of the Institute’s flagship Journal known as the “Planning and Development Review” is in the offing, and urged members to submit articles as soon as possible. He requested members to go through the revised constitution of the Institute and submit comments for incorporation by the end of August 2021. “Under the revised constitution, payment of one’s annual subscription is not enough to make him or her a member in good standing. You need to participate in Continuing Professional Development activities and submit evidence of same to justify the renewal of your membership”, he added.
In his concluding remarks, Pln. Mohammed Alhassan urged members to browse through the content of the website, share the links across their networks, and return to the National Executive Committee via info@gip.org.gh with suggestions, questions, and comments.
