Minister calls for speedy processing of development and building permits
Even though the construction sector contributes about 7.5 per cent to the GDP of Ghana and employs 10 per cent of the working population, acquiring development and building permits in Ghana is cumbersome, frustrating and fraught with long delays.
The Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing is therefore urging that the process of acquiring legitimate permits for construction should not be delayed or circumvented.
Speaking at the opening of a one-day Technical Workshop on Development and Building Permits in Accra, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah noted that the delays in acquiring permits could cause frustrations to investors.
He said permitting takes longer in Ghana and the reasons among others include, bureaucracy. He therefore urged that, “the issuance of permits should be given the highest priorities.”
According to him, the country’s reviewed building code is ready for adoption the national Building Regulation, LI 1630 1996 is to be amended to reflect the building code.
He also revealed that the final Bill on Condo Properties has been submitted to the Attorney-General.
The Bill for Real Estate Agency, he said, is at the final stages before passage into law.
The workshop was organised by the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of the Swiss Embassy in Ghana.
The outcome of the workshop would seek to ease the issuance of development and building permits in the country.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi