The Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors of Ghana (ABCECG) has welcomed government’s decision to review portions of the Public Procurement Law to provide local companies advantage in the bidding process.

It described the move as laudable, and would go a long way to grow indigenous companies and called for support and encouragement for government to implement the review.

The Association recently complained about instances where contracts under the National Competitive Tendering process, which by law should go to local companies were being given to foreign companies.

The decision to amend the Public Procurement Law to support local companies therefore, would address their worries.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Mr Rockson Dogbegah, Chairman of the Technical Committee of ABCECG said public procurement was a major tool in the hands of government to promote the growth of local companies.

He said the review could therefore be aptly done so that public procurement would become one major way to develop the economy through indigenous firms.

“When good local companies get jobs from government, the country will be better off. This is because they will employ more people and pay higher taxes,” Mr Dogbegah said.

While commending government for the move, he tasked contractors and local companies in general, to complement the gesture by ensuring quality and timely delivery of their projects.

“Government cannot support failing local companies or companies who will do sub-standard work, else it will amount to waste of scarce public resources, so we must also improve on our performance,” he stressed.

Mr Dogbegah encouraged government not to backtrack on this decision even in the face of external pressures since it had the potential to significantly create an economy based on indigenous business and wealth.

The Chairman of ABCECG Technical Committee urged government to review duties on imported machines for construction work.

He said the duties were so high, it discouraged companies from importing the appropriate and most efficient machines for construction works.

“Sometimes the duty paid on a truck loader can buy another truck and we think something has to be done about it,” Mr Dogbegah said.

Mr Dogbegah expressed the hope that government would continue to implement policies to support local companies.

The association called for the establishment of a Construction Industry Development Board in Ghana, to help address the sector’s challenges as well as promote its growth.**