Issuance of construction and building permit in Accra made digital
Government has taken a giant step towards automating the issuance of construction and building permit to reduce time and cost of doing business.
The move, which would be implemented through the use of a web-based application software, seeks to reduce corruption, facilitate ease of doing business, ensure proper control on construction and planning.
For the start, the application software funded by the Department for International Development is being piloted by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) and would later be replicated nationwide.
A speech read on behalf of Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, at a day’s user training on the new software in Accra, said the initiative would shorten the current time frame of about 90 days to 30 days.
The training on the functioning of the construction permit software, was conducted for planners, surveyors, architects, real estates’ developers’ industry players and private sector to enable them to use it.
She stated that the development and installation of the construction permit software for AMA had begun in earnest, with the training and equipment in place to ensure the application software works effectively to achieve the desired result.
The success of the initiative, the Minister noted, would boost the country’s ranking in the World Bank ease of doing business by eliminating human-factor which often caused delays as well as errors in the calculation of applicable fees leading to increases in revenue for MMDAs.
She said it would enhance the work of state institutions such as the Lands Commission, physical planning, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana National Police Service, and Environmental Protection Agency.
Hajia Mahama stated that the software application would provide an electronic database of all building and construction permit records.
“The in-built document management system means all related documents such as architectural and structural drawings are stored with the application in the software,” she said.
“It would provide more transparency and visibility on all building and construction permits and among others enhance lesser cost to both the developer and the MMDA”.
Mr Jerry Bentil, a consultant who walked participants through the application software, said it allows an individual to make submission of permit application forms and payments online.
He explained that the software application had a citizen portal, feedback, quick response code and enable prospective permit seekers to book appointment.
The portal, he said, had embedded a section that offers a catalogue of all architects located at their neighbourhood as well as a search engine to find and undertake their building and construction.
Some Assemblies, he said, hitherto had as many as 20 processing steps before issuing, but that had been shortened to three comprehensive stages which are; the pre-permit, permit issuance and post permit.
Source: GNA