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By James Amoh Junior, GNA Accra, Nov. 5, GNA – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced the commencement of the Ghana House Architectural Design Competition, a landmark national contest aimed at selecting an iconic architectural design that will represent Ghana’s diplomatic missions across the world. The initiative, which officially kickstarts on Thursday, November 6, 2025, forms part of the Ministry’s Strategic Transition from Renting to Infrastructure Development (STRIDE) initiative. STRIDE is a policy shift designed to progressively reduce Ghana’s reliance on rented facilities for its embassies and high commissions abroad. Under the STRIDE policy, the Government seeks to acquire and develop permanent, state-owned properties that reflect Ghana’s unique identity, history, and culture, while promoting sustainability and national pride. Announcing the update in Accra, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the competition represented a milestone in Ghana’s foreign policy infrastructure agenda and would set a new standard for the design and identity of Ghana’s diplomatic buildings globally. “The Ghana House will symbolize Ghana’s resilience, creativity, and heritage,” he said, noting that the competition would ensure transparency, professionalism, and public participation in the process. The Ministry is partnering with the Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) to manage the competition, which is open to all Ghanaian architects and architectural firms in good standing with the Institute. The GIA will administer the process, while an independent panel of judges will review submissions and select the top three winning designs. The competition officially opens on Friday, November 7, 2025 after the launch on Thursday. The deadline for receiving requests from participants has been set for Monday, November 10, 2025, while responses to queries will be provided by Thursday, November 13, 2025. Entries will be received by Monday, December 1, 2025, after which they will be presented to the panel of judges on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. Judging of submissions will take place from Thursday, December 4 to Friday, December 5, 2025, with the declaration of winners and award of prizes scheduled for Monday, December 8, 2025. The public display of the top three winning entries will run from Monday, December 15 to Wednesday, December 31, 2025. The Competition Brief, including technical specifications, evaluation criteria, and submission guidelines, will be published on the official website of the Ghana Institute of Architects immediately after the launch on November 6. The Ministry urged all interested Ghanaian architects to participate in what it described as a “nation-building exercise” that would contribute to the visual and cultural identity of Ghana’s diplomatic presence worldwide. It also cautioned the public to rely solely on verified digital platforms of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ghana Institute of Architects for accurate updates and to disregard unofficial information from unverified sources. GNAEdited by Christian Akorlie
