Ouagadougou: The President of Faso, Head of State, Captain Ibrahim Traore, chaired the weekly Council of Ministers, where several important decisions were made concerning the nation’s progress. This ordinary session involved the examination and adoption of multiple files deemed crucial for the effective functioning of Burkina Faso, as stated by Government Spokesperson Pingdwende Gilbert Ouedraogo.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the Council, under the Ministry of Urban Planning and Housing, passed a preliminary draft law revising the Urban Planning and Construction Code. Minister Mikailou Sidibe highlighted that the current code, in place since 2006, needed updates to reflect institutional and legislative changes. The revision aims to resolve ambiguities present in the old code.
The revised code introduces innovations to simplify procedural aspects. The initial innovation focuses on streamlining the processes for obtaining building permits and restructuring the responsible bodies. The second innovation categorizes authorizations into building authorizations, such as building and demolition permits, and introduces an occupancy permit as an alternative to the certificate of conformity for operationalizing non-compliant buildings.
The third innovation pertains to the urban planning plan, which enables local authorities to organize territorial space and provides a strategic document for space occupation planning, as explained by Minister Sidibe. Furthermore, the new code mandates the provision of parking spaces for public building projects to address urban area parking issues.