Senior Minister, Ing. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has commended the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE) for the launch of the second Ghana Infrastructure Report Card (2018).
The Infrastructure Report Card rates the quality and extensiveness of the infrastructure networks, taking cognizance of their significant impact on economic growth, incomes of citizens and poverty.
The 1st Infrastructure Report Card (2016) covered only three sectors, namely, Roads & Bridges – which was rated D2; Potable Water also rated D2 and Electric Power was giving a rating of D1. The overall cumulative score for the three infrastructure sectors was D2.
Ing. Yaw Osafo-Maafo commended the GhIE on Monday, August 6, 2017, when he delivered a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 3-day Ghana Infrastructure Conference 2018 at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Airport City Accra.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Enhancing Transportation Infrastructure for Accelerated Socio-Economic Development’, the Senior Minister noted that theme for the forum aligns well with government’s priorities.
“I wish to express government’s profound gratitude to all herein gathered for being part of the Transportation Infrastructure discourse. Transportation infrastructure is a game changer and a great enabler of rapid economic development. The United Kingdom, as well as South Korea, are few examples of countries where transportation was significantly prioritized as a catalyst for industrialization and social mobility. Today, the outcomes from these decisions in the respective countries are there for all to see and learn from,” he said.
Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo called on the GhIE to make recommendations from participants at the conference available to the government to facilitate prompt action.
He assured the GhIE that the Government will resource the Institution to expand the coverage of this round of Infrastructure Report to cover more categories of infrastructure.
Launching the 2nd Ghana Infrastructure Report Card, 2018 at the ceremony, the President of Ghana Institution of Engineers, Ing. Steve Amoaning Yankson said, the objective of the Institution is to promote, advance and enhance the practice of engineering to the benefit of the country.
He said details of the 2nd Report Card will soon be made public and would enable for a proper determination of Ghana's infrastructural achievements since the first report was released in 2016.
To achieve this objective, it is incumbent on the institution to constantly engage government on matters relating to the spatial environment by providing competent technical advice, especially on public projects.
The Executive Director of the Ghana Institution of Engineering, Ing. Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, explained that the newly launched report card cycle will include additional categories such as the Health, Educational, Sanitation and Telecom infrastructure. Ing. Agyepong added that every country needs a functional infrastructure backbone to thrive emphasising that sound Infrastructure is critical for long-term economic growth.
This maiden Infrastructure Conference was a collaboration between the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE) and Ghana Transportation Professionals Forum (GTPF), North America, the Transportation Research Center, KNUST and the Ministry of Roads and Highways and it attracted a high powered government delegation including Minister for Roads and Highways, Hon. Kwasi Amoako-Atta who was the Chairman of the occasion, Minister for Aviation, Hon. Cecilia Dapaah and Minister for Railways, Hon. Joe Ghartey all of them provided brief snapshots of the major developments in their respective ministries.
The keynote speaker of the conference, Prof. Adjo A. Amekudzi-Kennedy of GeorgiaTech University, Atlanta, USA outlined 10 values that can enhance transportation for socioeconomic development of the country to include: Linking transportation planning, project prioritization and Decision making; Multimodal and Inclusive Transportation; Multi-objective infrastructure like the Gotthard Base Tunnel; Stronger linkages between Technical and Policy making communities; Public Engagement; Education focused on Engineering for Development; Financial Sustainability; Transportation System Resilience; Ethical Standards in Transportation Decision making and finally Research & Development.
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