Ghanaian renowned public advocate and constitutional law scholar Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh is making a strong case for the country to consider the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to address the pressing issues of environmental sustainability.
For him, the country must stop watching the fast-evolving technology from the sidelines and start using AI to rebuild its environment and revive its decaying cities.
This is a sentiment the Professor expressed in a comment to an AI-generated video of how the technology can turn decaying and filth-stricken cities into world-class establishments.
Already, the evolution of AI has become a practical tool for fixing everyday problems right here at home, from unmanaged waste and flooding to chaotic urban growth and abandoned spaces.
He cannot fathom why, in the presence of this cutting-edge technology, our lands and environment must be left to rot, pushing human existence to the verge. For him, land is such a valuable asset and a necessity that should not be wasted in the face of AI.
“Let’s use AI to imagine and build for ourselves a better and more sustainable environment and revitalize our decaying neighborhoods, towns, and cities,” he championed.
“It is possible,” he emphasized, adding that “Land is a terrible thing to waste.”
Across many Ghanaian towns and cities, the signs of decay are familiar. Choked drains that trigger floods, unplanned settlements eating into wetlands, abandoned buildings turning into crime hotspots, and public lands left idle for decades.
The situation, he believes, is not a problem beyond the capacity of AI, should the country attempt to deploy the technology in addressing such a menace.
Urban planners say AI can help cities “see themselves better.” Using satellite images, drones, and simple data inputs, AI systems can map how land is being used, identify areas at risk of flooding, detect illegal construction early, and even suggest better layouts for roads, housing, and green spaces.
What takes human planners months can be done in days, with fewer errors.
AI, Prof. Prempeh maintains, is a technology that can help local assemblies decide where to build markets, help sanitation agencies predict waste build-up, or help communities redesign neglected spaces into parks, clinics, or affordable housing.
