Call for body to check sub-standard concrete products

25-10-08
Page 19


THE Deputy Minister of Transportation, Mr Magnus Opare-Asamoah, has called for the formation of an association that will serve as a peer review mechanism to stop the proliferation of sub-standard concrete products in the country.
“Such a body could also collaborate with other professionals to research into new trends and practices in the industry,” he said.
Mr Opare-Asamoah said this at a public forum organised by the African Concrete Product (ACP), as part of the 12th Ghana International Furniture Woodworking Exhibition (GIFEX 2008) at the Trade Fair Centre.
He said the products of the construction industry needed to be regulated to ensure that consumers got value for their moneys, adding that the government was committed to firms the necessarily supported and gave encouragement in ensuring that the “construction industry continues to contribute its quota to the gross domestic product of the country”.
"The government will continue to provide the needed resources and support for the regulatory agencies such as the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) to execute their mandate effectively," he stated, saying that there was the need for the country to aspire to and maintain high standards.
Mr Opare-Asamoah commended ACP for its efforts in promoting the use of high quality concrete products in the building and road construction industry.
According to him, the company had since the country's independence, been a true and reliable partner in the construction industry.
The Chairman of the ACP, Mr Carl Richards, said the country had seen an unprecedented boom in construction in recent times.
He said the importance of using correctly specified materials and properly qualified professionals in the construction process could not be overemphasised.
"With 52 years of service under its belt, ACP is an industry expert and leader. Our original mandate to create concrete products that meet international standards holds," he said.
The President of the Ghana Institute of Architects, Arc. William N.T. Evans-Anfom, said it was sad that some people hired the services of non-professionals when building, adding that it was more expensive to use a non-professional, since one was likely to spend more on shoddy works.
He said the building industry was all about standards.