Discussants at a round-table on Revitalising Infrastructure Investments in Ghana have identified the lack of disclosure of data on contracts as bane to concerns of fraud in the country’s infrastructural procurement.
The speakers, mostly industry players suggested the institution of a regime whereby an accurate collection of data on infrastructural contracts would be enforced. Procurement Specialist and Chartered Quantity Surveyor, Kojo Osei Asante said disclosure is key to promoting transparency and infrastructure contracts.
GACC’s Executive Director, Beauty Narteh with with team of discussants.
He pointed out that the ”lack of a sanction regime, sustainability and value for money”, as bane to fraud concerns in infrastructural investment concerns in Ghana.
Currently in Ghana, construction remains expensive compared to other sub-Saharan economies. In sub-Saharan Africa. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, half of bribes paid are in industries, with the largest spending on infrastructure especially in construction.
This phenomenon is a concern to the Ghana Anti Corruption Coalition, GACC, together with the COST Infrastructure Transparency Initiative and its partners. Hence, the initiative to work with government, industry and local communities around the world to get better value from public infrastructure by increasing transparency and accountability.
Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Eugene Antwi identified the lack of finance as key to hindering improvements in Ghana’s infrastructure.
He suggested the need to prioritize projects and engage the private sector to fill the gaps in infrastructure deficits.
GACC’s Executive Director Beauty Narteh’s said going forward COST Infrastructure Transparency Initiative is optimistic about advocating better lives from infrastructure through value for money contracts.
At the end of the day, discussants at a round-table on Revitalizing Infrastructure Investments in Ghana agreed that, there is the need to engender the conversation of using expertise in the area of construction to ensure efficiency.
Also, political interference should be discouraged to promote transparency and accountability in securing and implementing contracts.
BY Rebecca Ekpe