Builders trained on Construction Permit Software
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), yesterday held a one-day user community training session on the newly developed Construction Permit Software in Accra.
The Construction Permit Software (CPS) is a reformation of the Permit Processing System (PPS) for the acquisition of building/construction geared towards the promotion of government agenda of creating a business enabling environment.
The project, an initiative of the government supported by the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom, is to accelerate service delivery at the local level.
It is being piloted by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) simultaneously before rolled-out nationwide through the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
In a welcome address, Kwasi Boateng Adjei, Deputy Minister of the MLGRD, said the project in its implementation would reduce the time and cost of doing business in Ghana.
He said its implementation process began with the streamlining of the processes on the ground saying, “we are now at the stage where the permitting process are being automated to further assist in reducing the time and cost it takes for developers to obtain building or construction permits.”
“The development and installation of the Construction Permit Software for AMA has therefore begun, while currently internet connectivity and the Local Area Network (LAN) have been completed with server installation and configuration also completed,” he said.
Mr Adjei said the PPS would provide electronic database of all building and construction permit records, adding that the in-built document management systems meant all related documents, such as architectural and structural drawing, would be stored with the application in the PPS.
He said the new service would provide more transparency and visibility on all permits and enhance lesser cost to both the developer and the MMDAs, since physical activities such as submission of forms payment and inspection, among others, would be reduced, thereby shortening applications processing times.
“Let me also emphasise that the installation and use of the Construction Permit Software in AMA and TMA would boost the ranking of Ghana in the World Bank ease of doing business.
Mr Adjei advised all stakeholders to use the platform immediately after the training in order to experience its advantages.
There was a technical presentation by KOWAM systems, the developers of the software.
In attendance were representatives from the user community particularly, Ghana Real Estate Development Association (GREDA), Ghana Institution of Architects (GhIE), Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Institute of Local Government Studies (ILGS), Institute of Planners, Institute of Surveyors and Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC).
BY LAWRENCE MARKWEI AND EVANGEL KELVIN AINOO
