Discussants at a roundtable 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 procurements.
The speakers, mostly industry players suggested the institution of a regime whereby an accurate collection of data on infrastructural contracts would be enforced.
Currently in Ghana, construction remains expensive compared to other sub-saharan economies. 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.
Chartered Quantity Surveyor, Kojo Osei Asante said disclosure is key to promising transparency and infrastructure contracts.
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 engage the private sector to fill the gaps in infrastructure deficits.
GACC’s Executive Director, Beauty Narteh, said going forward COST Infrastructure Transparency Initiative is optimistic about advocating better lives from infrastructure through value for money contracts.
