Dr. Hanna Louisa Bissiw, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, has launched the second edition of Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors Association (ABCECG) Excellence Awards, slated for September 21.

The yearly event is geared to promote excellence in the operations of local contractors in the country.

Dr. Bissiw expressed disappointment about instances where local contractors engaged in shoddy constructional works and even disappeared with the mobilisation funds given to them.

“It is important that as we work hard to bridge our infrastructural gap, pursue excellence and work to the highest possible standards. It is only then that local contractors would be given a good name.”

“We want to see our construction firms compete favorably with any firm anywhere in the world and offer to undertake jobs in other countries,” she said.

The Deputy Minister urged the Association to build the capacity of its members to be well positioned to team up with foreign investors in the country.

Dr. Bissiw said the Ministry was working with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning on the modalities of how the Ministry could use part of its internally generated funds to implement training programmes for local contractors.

Mr. Rockson Kwesi Dogbegah, Head of Excellence Awards Technical Committee, expressed concern about the lack of a comprehensive government policy for the construction industry and cited South Africa, the United Kingdom, Malaysia as some of the country whose construction industries were booming due to the establishment of organisations to regulate their activities.

He called on government to establish a Construction and Development Board to regulate activities of contractors in the country.

“Establishing a regulatory Board would ensure that contractors are paid on time as key to the respect and compliance of conditions of contracts,” he said.

Mr. Dogbegah called for the inclusion of the association on relevant government bodies that related to the building and road construction.

He expressed concern about the unethical tendering process that had characterised the awarding of contracts in the country and thus denying qualified bidders who were not politically inclined of contracts.

Mr. Dogbegah said “today, we compete with Chinese contractors and suppliers under this NCT because officialdom has swept this provision under the carpet to benefit some few unpatriotic individuals,” he said.

He said members would be awarded in 11 categories including Quality, Time Performance, Environmental, Health and Safety and Corporate Social Responsibility Award.**