Accra, Feb. 14, GNA – Facility Management experts have called on the Government to immediately take steps to formulate a policy to guide the management of built and non-built facilities in the country.
Such a policy would help avoid destruction of properties and the release of toxic materials into the environment and contribute to the attainment of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
They said a facility management policy would be critical to ensuring best practices and proper management of waste from buildings and other facilities for a greener economy.
They said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a day’s conference in Accra by the Ghana Chapter of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA Ghana) on the topic: “Best facility management practices key to sustainable development.”
Ms Christa Dodoo, Head of Facilities Management Services, World Food Programme (WFP), said it was important for the government to come out with a policy that would “help us use green energy and recycle waste into renewable energy to help us manage the facilities and buildings appropriately.”
She said: “About 80 percent of UN SDGs have to do with the built environment, and that tells you about the level at, which facility management plays a prominent role in sustainable development.”
Ms Dodoo called for an engagement with small businesses and NGOs to ensure that: “We [FMPs] do our part to make sure that our social responsibility to the environment and the economy is taken care of for sustainable development.”
Sampson Opare-Agyemang, President of the Ghana Chapter of IFMA, said: “Policy is really key and that is the only thing that can drive the change in managing our facilities and environment effectively.”
He said it was important for a policy to be introduced to guide, “right from the beginning of giving permit for developers to build high rising buildings on the management of our waste, water and energy effectively.”
On the part of the Association in getting a policy, Mr Opare-Agyemang, said they had engaged authorities, including the Environment and Works and Housing Ministries, and hopeful such a policy would soon be put in place.
Mrs Aba Asante-Koranchie, Head of Physical and Facilities Management, Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG), said a policy would help households, commercial entities, and public institutions to have fit for purpose buildings and facilities.
She said: “The expertise required at the State level is policy formulation. That’s where we’re trying to have a voice that will be put into this policy formulation.”
Mrs Asante-Koranchie added that a policy would provide a standard practice on construction, demolition, and sale of properties, as well as management of waste from facilities, which would contribute to sustainable development.
She said: “A policy would help us in elongating the life span of facilities, ensure that pollution is reduced, and waste generated from our kitchenette, washrooms are recycled.”
Mr Isaac Owusu Adjakwah, Director of Facilities and Infrastructure Management, Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), advised individuals and organisations to have a long-term maintenance imbedded in their culture.
GNA