Accra, Oct. 21, GNA - Building designers, architects, engineers and other relevant authorities in the construction industry have been urged to develop and construct buildings that were safe and sustainable, spacious and energy efficient. "As the economy expands and access to regular and stable income also spreads nationwide, the transformation of our rural and peri-urban settlements will accelerate more rapidly," Papa Owusu-Ankomah Minister of Trade and Industry, Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiative said.

The Minister said a situation where such a boom in re-construction would lead to un-regulatory building leading to chaos must be avoided. He was speaking at the 39th World Standards Day celebrations in Accra. The day, which fell on October 14, had the theme; "Intelligent and Sustainable Buildings."

The Minister encouraged Ghanaians to re-focus attention on expanding urbanisation and its daunting challenges within the context of current international best practices. The international standards from International Electro-technological Commission (IEC), International Organisation for Standards (ISO) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), applicable to today's buildings are said to increase production efficiency, optimise resources and simplify the design and planning of buildings. The Trade Minister noted that Ghana could not disregard the wise counsel of ISO on matters relating to building and called for the need to address problems related to setting, documenting and regulating of building standards. "Their application will ensure that the construction industry offers improved technology, competitively priced products and construction work, higher quality and safety, and reduced accidents." He noted that the application of international best practices required that Ghana established or modernised relevant pieces of legislation and technical regulations and reformed the management and technical institutions in the field of standardization, inspection, testing and certification.

Papa Ankomah said buildings represented a large share of the economic assets of individuals, organisations and nations, which must be enhanced and protected, adding, steps were being taken to upgrade the key laboratories in various standards and regulatory bodies. Mr. Adu Gyamfi Darkwa, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Standards Board, said with a strong stakeholder support, the implementation and application of standards would be enhanced with market relevance and acceptance of standards being assured. He noted that building and construction products were crucial for social and economic development and improvement in the environment and called for critical support in the form of funding, recognition and commitment in terms of resources and expertise to ensure successful standardization. Other speakers who were engineers, architects, planners and surveyors shared their views on the need to ensure standards in their work for social and economic development and pledged their role to make the dreams to meeting international standards in their work a success. Individuals, companies and institutions that have contributed in diverse ways in the building industry were recognised and honoured with certificates. 21 Oct. 08