Chamber of Construction Industry tasked to be innovative

The President of the Ghana Institute of Engineers (GhiE), Professor Charles Adams, has called on the members of the Chamber of Construction Industry to find innovative ways to fund, maintain roads and infrastructural projects in the country.

According to him, in spite of the efforts of successive governments, several undone and uncompleted roads and housing projects were as a result of worsened finances and challenges faced by industry players over the last two decades.

“We have been over dependent on foreign enterprises to do things for us while local industry players have not grown. However, since government cannot tackle the infrastructure alone, especially considering current circumstances globally, we need to find innovative ways to fund construction and maintain them,” he said.

Professor Adams was speaking at the Annual General Conference for construction industry stakeholders which was organised by the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry in Koforidua.

The Conference, held on the theme: “Project Finance and Funding Methodology for Infrastructure Development: The Case of the Chamber of Construction Industry and delayed payment with its associated interests Matters,” brought together all construction industry players such as architects, engineers, contractors, among others to deliberate on challenges confronting the industry and ascertain ways to solve them.

Professor Adams indicated that delay in payment and the erratic and subjective order of payments of certificates with no adherence to payment regimes stated in contracts or in procuring procedures had also contributed to the many undone and uncompleted roads and housing projects.

For his part, the Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Abdulai Abanga, thanked the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry for its immense contribution over the years, adding that the chamber has helped to bring to the doorstep of the government relevant infrastructural issues in the country and therefore had contributed greatly to the policy making process.

He said the construction industry also contributed to significant employment opportunities for more skilled and unskilled labour and beyond, and that provided infrastructure and facilities required for other sectors of the economy.

For his part, Osaagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, who was the chairman of the conference, stated that roads were made for safety, “but only God knows the fear created in Ghanaian when plying the road as a result of bad road”.

He advised the members of the Chamber of Construction Industry to change their attitude towards construction in the country and develop infrastructure to the benefit of future generations.

FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA