Rethink national projects delivery strategy — Engineer
The President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Ghana (IET-Gh), Henry Kwadwo Boateng, has called for a rethinking of how projects are delivered by successive governments.
That, he said, was because the country could no longer afford abandoned projects and wasteful investments.
Speaking at the third National Boot Camp of the Institute of Project Management Professionals (IPMP) at the University of Cape Coast, on the theme: “Turning Plans into Progress: Rethinking Project Delivery for National Impact,” Mr Boateng said Ghana is never short of national development plans, but the challenge had always been whether successive governments actually followed them.
“From one government to the next, beautifully documented visions and strategies are drawn. Yet, the question remains: are these plans truly guiding our leaders or are manifestos shaped more by short-term populist promises rather than people-centred and economically impactful projects?” he asked.
Prioritisation
Citing examples, Mr Boateng questioned the prioritisation of projects such as the proposed SkyTrain when Accra and Kumasi are still not connected by a modern railway system.
According to him, investing in strong rail infrastructure would ease road congestion, improve trade, reduce costs, and save lives, benefits that far outweigh prestige projects.
The IET-Gh President described the alarming number of abandoned projects across the country as “symbols of inefficiency, poor planning, and disregard for accountability.”
Mr Boateng criticised what he called the “firefighting approach to project delivery,” often seen in politically motivated projects.
He, however, commended the Minister of Finance for recently directing all entities to show proof of funds before procurement approvals, saying such measures will ensure fiscal discipline and continuity.
He also appealed to the government to prioritise the completion of all ongoing road projects to relieve the burden on road users.
Path forward
Mr Boateng outlined three key measures to ensure the country turned plans into real progress:
In the first place, he said there should be meaningful stakeholder engagement at every level of project planning and delivery.
Again, he called for professional involvement in decision-making to reduce politically motivated projects.
“Ring-fenced funding to guarantee continuity of critical national projects beyond electoral cycles,” he said and that there was a need to build systems, rather than just structures
Mr Boateng Boateng reminded participants that project delivery goes beyond physical infrastructure.
“Project delivery is not just about building structures. It is about building trust, building systems and building a better future for sustainability and generations to come,” he said.
