Construction Industry Development Authority Priority for us - ABCECG

The establishment of a Construction Industry Development Authority is crucial if the sector is to be transformed and contribute meaningfully to the development of the country, the Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors of Ghana (ABCECG), has said.

According to president of the association, Prosper Yao Ledi, the authority which would regulate and ensure the proper transformation of the sector, formed part of a holistic approach to transform the construction industry.

The construction sector was currently saddled with challenges including delayed payments for works done, preference for foreign contractors over indigenous ones and low capacity of indigenous construction firms.

Mr Ledi said the authority would ensure that delayed payments were reduced to the barest minimum and that interest would be paid to the contractor when they occur and further ensure that no project begins unless funding has been duly secured.

Among other things, he stated that the construction industry development authority would regulate the activities of contractors in the industry to ensure high standard of performance and also prescribe and enforce professional requirements of the category of contractors.

Additionally, it would also monitor and evaluate the performance and efficiency of registered contractors.

Mr Ledi said a new phase of the sector would propel indigenous contractors to be able to rub shoulders with contractors across the globe.

"When contracts are given to foreign companies ahead of Ghanaian firms, in most of the cases, the foreign contractor subcontracts the job to indigenous contractors. This clearly shows that the Ghanaian contractor is capable and should therefore be given the opportunity to prove itself, The authority will not only seek to develop the industry but it will also ensure that all stakeholders including government act appropriately" he said.

Currently, the ABCECG, he said was receiving funding support from the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund to make the establishment of the authority a reality, adding that efforts to establish the authority was far advanced as the draft bill was being worked on.

He called on the sector minister to support the establishment of the authority and urged the government to pay the arrears owed contractors.

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