Accra, June 1, GNA - Mr Rockson Dogbegah, the Construction sector chair of the Association of Ghana Industries, says industry players would readily support the public sector in setting the necessary standards for the construction industry in the ECOWAS sub- region.
Speaking at a three-day workshop on standards aimed at improving the capacity on setting standards for operators in the building and construction sector in the sub-region, Mr Dogbegah said such standards would inure to the sustainable development of the construction industry.
The three-day seminar organised by the Commission on Standards for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in collaboration with the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) aimed at improving the capacity on setting standards for operators in the building and construction sector in the sub-region.
Mr Dogbegah, who is also a Chartered Construction Manager, said it was very necessary to engage the major stakeholders in the building and construction industry directly in such critical seminars.
He said from experience in most strategic planning and policy development fronts in both the public and private sector space, most policies were developed without the input of the critical mass of users.
This, he said, leaved out actors and stakeholders in the dark, resulting in serious implementation challenges.
He commended the ECOWAS Commission, ARSO and GSA for the seminar and urged them to engage the private sector and industry more effectively in the setting of standards for the building and construction sector.
The Technical Director of ARSO, Reuben Gisore said since building and construction had become a basic necessity of life, setting appropriate standards for the materials and the facilities themselves were necessary so as not to jeopardize the life of occupants.
Participants were also enlightened on the ultimate aim of the ECOWAS Commission on standards, which ARSO is tasked to help deepen the brainstorming, harmonisation and the application of standards used by its member countries.
It is also to use knowledge and technology to adopt appropriate policies that would make the sub region improve on its bargaining rights at all international trade and industry outings.
The move is therefore to uplift the region and speed up the common market agenda through the provision of quality infrastructure that conforms to international standards and to offer the private sector the needed boost to increase investment in the sub region.
Representatives of the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the GSA also took turns to reemphasize government’s commitment to support initiatives on standardisation for the construction sector.
GNA
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