Government has been urged to pass the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) bill to regulate activities in the construction industry.
Professor Nene Emmanuel Martey, Chairman of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry made the call noting that in the absence of any enforceable standards even block makers determine the amount of sand, water and cement which goes into a concrete block by themselves, giving room for inferior products to be made and sold.
He stated there is the need for the bill to be passed next year to bring sanity to the sector. Ghana’s construction industry is an important part of the national economy with the industry contributing GHc3,175 million in 2017 to Gross Domestic Product. In certain years, the industry contributes over 15 percent of Gross Domestic Product for the country and has the potential to drive the nation’s economic growth with support from government.
With Ghana, a developing country in need of heavy infrastructure, there is need for a body to prescribe content which goes in to its highways, roads, hospitals, power plants, dams and housing.
The establishment of the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) will also enable development while ensuring compliance with regulations, standards and codes to guide best practices and procedures in the industry.
The regulatory body when birthed would advise government on relevant aspects of the construction industry, register contractors, consultants and enterprises linked to the construction industry, as well as suppliers of materials.
The CIDA bill has been pending for over three years but contractors believe with the establishment of the Authority they can compete with foreign firms that benefit from the protectionist policies of their governments.
By Michael Eli Dokosi