Ghanaian construction professionals leave for Singapore, Malaysia to learn best practices

A 13- member delegation of government officials and building professionals left Accra on Wednesday for a 10-day working visit to Malaysia and Singapore.

The trip is to enable the delegation learn best practices in the construction industry to be able to apply them in Ghana.

They will be meeting with various construction agencies, attend a construction exhibition and conference as well as visit some selected building sites in the two countries.

The trip, spearheaded by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Ghana, is one of many events slated to take place in the year, all aimed at sanitizing and regulating the construction industry in Ghana.

The advocacy embarked on by the building environment professionals follows the collapse of the Melcom Building in Accra as well as other buildings in some parts of the country.

The delegation, led by the Chairman of CIOB Ghana, Mr Rockson Dogbegah, includes representatives from the Ministries of Water Resources Works and Housing, Roads and Highways as well as Trade and Industry.

Other members are representing the Institute of Planners, Architects, and Institution of Surveyors. The Contractors Associations and Procurement Specialists are also on the delegation.

Speaking in an interview before departure, Mr. Dogbegah said the Professionals were determined to support the various agencies to clean the industry, adding that the crusade would be sustained until the industry was sanitized. “We cannot continue in our old ways and the time to act is now” he said.

Next month, CIOB Ghana would organise a two-day workshop to review all the protocols involved in regulating the construction industry in Ghana; jointly advise on the gaps and make appropriate recommendations collectively to Government and Stakeholders.

Built environment professional institutions such as the Ghana Institution of Surveyors, Ghana Institute of Planners, Ghana Institute of Architects, the Institution of Engineers and other major stakeholders such as the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Ministry of Roads and Highways, Public Procurement Authority and the National Insurance Commission would be expected to make presentations at the workshop slated for April 4 and 5.

Presentations at the workshop will touch on regulation, health and safety, issuance of permits, planning practices, procurement and the infrastructure development.  There would also be discussions on the current rules, regulations and protocols governing the construction industry with the view to identifying the gaps and finding remedies.

Other programmes have been lined up for the rest of the year,  including regional workshops, as well as seminars in selected tertiary institutions to ensure that a lasting solution is found to the ills of the construction industry.

Source: GNA