Accra, Dec. 17, GNA – Dr David Ofosu-Dorte, Executive Chairman, AB and David Associate, has called on construction industry players to prioritise climate adaptation to ensure the sustainability of the sector.
He said the sustainability of the construction industry was very paramount, adding that the goal of any society was to sustain itself over a period.
Dr Ofosu-Dorte said this at a stakeholders consultative forum on the theme “Climate Adaptation Strategies in Sustainable Infrastructure Development: The Role of Construction Sector Players.”
The forum was organised by the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry.
He said government services operated from facilities that depended on construction.
“Extraction in the mining sector will depend on construction, both above the ground and subterranean construction,” he said.
He said the industry played an important role in the industrialisation agenda, adding that the manufacturing consisted of building plants, and that depended on construction.
“For us to have a sustainable industrialisation, we need to have a situation where energy is actually developed in such a way that it is sustainable.
“We are talking about industrialisation that is not diesel-dependent or hydrocarbon-dependent. Our power plants must be dependent on the kind of energy that is sustainable,” he said.
He called for innovative ways of incentivising people who designed buildings that are climate resilient.
“For instance, if in granting building permits, we should have policies that encouraged those who design green buildings to have lower permit fees,” he said.
A speech read on behalf of Dr. Phyllis Adwoa Fraikue, Director of Climate Financing Division, Ministry of Finance, said the forum would provide a good opportunity to explore innovative ways to lead climate adaptation efforts.
She said Article 7 of the Paris Agreement was key with issues of adaptation and ensuring that players adapt and strengthen their resilience and reduce vulnerability in the country.
“Climate-resilient infrastructure is not only enhanced investments but also minimises our discourse caused by extreme weather,” he said.
Dr Antwi Bosiako Amoah, Director, Climate Change Department, Environmental Protection Agency, called on stakeholders to adopt measures to mitigate the effects of climate change on the construction industry.
GNA