The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has urged stakeholders in the construction industry to implement sustainable practices as a response to climate change, which is leading to increasingly severe weather events.
Dr. Bawumia emphasized that the construction sector has a significant opportunity to influence the future by integrating climate adaptation strategies. He highlighted the necessity of ensuring that buildings and infrastructure are resilient to extreme weather conditions.
This statement was delivered on his behalf by Dr. Prince Hamid Armah, Deputy Minister for Works and Housing, during the opening of the 6th Annual General Meeting and Conference of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI) in Takoradi.
The two-day conference focused on the theme, “Climate Adaptation Strategies in Sustainable Infrastructure Development – the Role of the Construction Sector Players.”
Dr. Bawumia pointed out the critical nature of the situation, noting that the government, in partnership with key international organizations such as the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has initiated the “Transforming the Built Environment through Sustainable Materials” project.
He remarked that this initiative provides a detailed roadmap for decarbonizing the building and construction sector to enhance climate adaptation efforts.
He stressed that achieving the goals outlined in the roadmap necessitates the active involvement of all stakeholders, including government agencies, private sector representatives, architects, engineers, and local communities.
The onus is on all of us; developers and contractors must prioritise sustainable practices, architects and engineers must integrate climate resilience into their designs, and policymakers must enforce building codes that support environmental responsibility.
The Chairman of the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GhCCI), Mr. Emmanuel Tetteh Martey, emphasized the importance of the construction sector moving beyond traditional methods to embrace sustainable and innovative practices that can mitigate the effects of climate change.
He urged the government, environmental specialists, urban planners, academic institutions, and policymakers to take the lead, particularly in light of the increasing threat posed by illegal mining (galamsey), which endangers the environment and leads to land degradation.
Nana Dr. Appiagyei Dankawoso I, who presided over the event, remarked that the construction industry possesses the potential to spearhead the development and execution of climate adaptation strategies that will foster a more sustainable future for everyone.
Mr. Justice Amoh, the Chief Executive Officer of Justmoh Construction Limited, asserted that the construction sector bears the responsibility not only for building infrastructure such as roads and cities but also for creating communities that can flourish for generations, especially in the context of a changing climate.
