‘Set up an independent building control authority’

The Vice President of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) Africa, Mr Rockson Dogbegah, has advocated the establishment of an independent building control authority in Ghana to regulate the construction industry.

He argued that the establishment of the independent body would eliminate shoddy work, as it would ensure high standards in the building sector to stimulate economic growth.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day seminar for stakeholders in the construction industry in Ghana yesterday, he said although the construction industry contributed significantly to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), it was fraught with many challenges because it was not regulated.

Organised by the Heavy Machinery Dealership, a subsidiary of Forewin Ghana Limited, the seminar was also used to unveil a new construction equipment known as MPH 122-2 stabilizer, and recycler machine which can be used to repair or rehabilitate roads and also serve as a soil stabilizer.

Participants in the seminar included members of the association of road contractors, officials of the Department of Feeder Roads, the Department of Urban Roads, the Ghana Highway Authority, the Ministry of Transport, among other institutions.

No shoddy work

Mr Dogbegah was of the view that an independent building authority would be the panacea for the shoddy works usually associated with local industry players by building the capacity of construction firms and professionals while fashioning out policies for sustained development of the industry.

“We have many high-rise buildings springing up, construction of roads and many development projects in the country. Anyone just gets up and because they know someone who can secure them a government contract they claim they are contractors,” he said.

Reasons for regulation

The research landscape is replete with a number of studies that have identified the challenges of the construction industry.

A study by Fugar et.al (2013) identified seven challenges, which are absence of a principal development regulatory body, inadequate financial resources, lack of investment in human resource development, inability to embrace change, low technology in the industry, lack of appreciation for workforce in the industry and high level of employee mobility.

Similar challenges in other emerging countries such as Singapore, India, Malaysia, South Africa, Indonesia, and Indian resulted in the establishment of central agencies to coordinate the activities of all construction works.

Also in Africa, countries like Zambia, Rwanda, Malawi, Kenya and Tanzania have central bodies that are mainly responsible for the regulation and development of their construction industries and are making very remarkable strides comparatively towards economic development.

For years both industry practitioners and academics led by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)–Ghana, has been championing the establishment of an authority to regulate the industry.

The recycler and stabilizer machine

In a welcome address, the Managing Director of HMD Forewin, Mr Mark Bacon, said his company had since 2013 been serving the construction and mining industries with the state-of-the-art machinery.

HMD, he said, dealt in heavy duty equipment such as earth-moving machines, concrete mixers, as well as asphalt and bitumen products.

The Africa Area Sales Manager of BOMAG Fayat Group, manufactures of the MPH 122-2 stabilizer and recycler machine, Mr Daniel P.M Werner Meier, said the equipment could be used to repair damaged asphalt surfaces at a cost of between 30 and 40 per cent less compared to other pieces of equipment.