FIDIC-GAMA Conference 2015 Is Underway In Accra

Hon.Rashid Pappoe, Minister of State in charge of Public Private Partnership (PPP) has called on Engineers and Consulting Engineers to ensure that their profession add to the social-economic development of the people of Ghana and Africa as it is the aim of the NDC government to improve on the infrastructural system in the country. 

The Minister said this when he delivered his keynote address as a Special Guest of Honor at the ongoing International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC-GAMA) Conference which opened on Monday, 13th April, at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, in Accra.

The minister in his address further said the country’s rate of development of infrastructure has a direct correlation with the growth of its GDP and therefore the improvement in the standard of living of its people. It is of this view that the government has developed two policy responses to address the challenges of closing the infrastructure deficit gap.

The policies are “creating a conducive environment for the private sector to participate in the provision of public good through the PPP’s policy in the development of infrastructure and the other is the establishment of the Ghana infrastructure investment fund” as this will go a long way in solving the infrastructural issues in Ghana.

The Major of Accra, Okoe Vanderpuye also challenged the participating Engineers to ensure that they bring solutions to the numerous problems confronting the nation and every city that the conference will take place in future.

“I wish the city of Accra becomes like that of Barcelona and on behalf of my colleague mayors, I pledged our full support to work together with the Engineers for better cities in Africa”, Mr. Okoe Vanderpuye said.

The Chairman of the Ghana Consulting Engineers, ING. Frederick Asare-Yeboah in his welcome address stated that the conference will provide the platform to discuss factors inhibiting the growth of the consulting engineering industry in Africa and make proposals for promoting and strengthening inter-regional partnerships amongst consulting engineering firms in Africa region.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Developing and Sustaining Africa’s Infrastructure; Promoting African Consulting Engineering Partnership.

Dignitaries such as Pablo Bueno – FIDIC President; Eng. George Sitali-Chairman GAMA; Ing. A.A Ogyiri – LOC chairman; Rev. Dr. Mensah-Otabil – Chancellor, Central University College & General Overseer ICGC; Ing. J. Kpekpena – Director of Engineering, ECG; Ing. M.L. Quarshie – CEO, Delin consult; Ing. Cephas T. Oguah, Chief Manager, Corporate Planning, GWCL and other speakers made presentation on various topics.