The AfCFTA Secretariat is located in Ghana-West Africa
Sanitation engineer expert Mr. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong has suggested that African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) has arrived as a timely facilitating framework that will help African countries fulfill their collective underlying need for modern, efficient, and reliable infrastructure.
Mr. Agyepong noted that it is our collective moral duty to remain focused and be in tune with the evolution of our industry.
He said it is our duty to recognize the impact of our activities as well as our inaction. It is our duty both to Ghana and to our chosen professions.
He was speaking at the National Infrastructure Summit, under the theme “The AfCTA Project Financing Aand the Construction Industry in Ghana; Myth or Reality”.
He asserted that the concept of Sustainable Development has become the cornerstone of Global Development Policy since the adoption of Agenda 21 in 1992 during the much-heralded Earth Summit held in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.
He said “to a high degree, Ghana’s ability to realize its competitive potential depends on us making smart infrastructure choices. These choices must specifically respond to our economic, demographic, fiscal, and environmental changes if they are to help Ghanaians, places and businesses thrive and prosper”.
“…if we must become a relevant player within the AfCTA, we must be ready and equipped to meet the needs of not just our country but other African countries. The Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry must step up our business relations and marketing capabilities all of which will immensely contribute to the building of a mutually beneficial relationship and growth of both the private and public sectors of Ghana,” he said.
The engineer explained that critical areas of the infrastructure sector include Road and Transport infrastructure (SDG11), ICT infrastructure, Water and Sanitation infrastructure (SDG6), Power Distribution infrastructure (Affordable and Clean Energy SDG7), Urban Regeneration(SDG11), Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Management (SGD13).
“It is therefore fair to say that important national goals and the welfare of every Ghanaian cannot be assured without the provision and of sustainable and resilient infrastructure. The construction sector is key, it supports the workforce by providing millions of jobs. In 2016 and 2017, the construction sector contributed 13.7% to GDP and according to Ghana Statistical Service data and it employed at least 3% of the labour force. It is pretty obvious that a healthy construction sector is a pre-requisite for accelerated economic growth,” he added.