AESL to assist MMDAS with affordable housing projects
The Managing Director of the Architectural Engineering Services Limited (AESL), Mr Louis Satchmo Attia Atongo, has expressed the preparedness of the company to collaborate with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to implement the government’s affordable housing projects in the country.
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He said government recognising the need to provide affordable housing for workers in Ghana had in recent past made budgetary interventions to cater for this.
"We would advise the Regional Coordinating Councils to collaborate with the various district assemblies to acquire land banks for the purpose. The AESL with its abundant expertise can then develop layout schemes and various house type designs for construction," he said.
At the end-of-year management meeting of the AESL staff in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, the Managing Director said the major area of concern to them as consultants was the lack of appropriate construction skills and contract administration in the country.
Poor quality skills
He said the poor quality of skills of most rural artisans which underlined the deplorable state of buildings could be enhanced by promoting improved methods of construction.
As a means of tackling this challenge, he indicated the AESL would continue to organise workshops and seminars for district assemblies and officials of the Regional Coordinating Councils in Contract Administration.
"Workshops will also be organised by our regional officers for contractors to improve the skills and competencies of their workforce."
Community day schools
Mr Atongo said the government’s community day senior high schools were designed by the AESL and the company was presently supervising the construction of 19 community day senior high schools in the Northern, Brong-Ahafo, Volta, Central and Ashanti regions.
He disclosed that the main problem facing the company was the payment or settlement of fees raised for services rendered, as the company's main clients were government agencies and organisations who were often not too anxious to pay fees raised against them.
He explained that the company’s projects were located at remote areas with difficult terrain leading to constant breakdown of their vehicles which affected the efficient supervision of works of contractors and said it needed money to improve services to their clients in the regions and districts.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Albert Abongo, commended the AESL for the design for the community day senior high schools.
He said the region was benefiting from five of such projects which were that located at Paga-Navio in the Kassena Nankana West District, Yameriga in the Talensi District, Kanjarga in the Builsa South district, Sapelga in the Bawku West District and Gambibgo in the Bolgatanga East Constituency.
He urged consultants on the projects to ensure quality works from the contractors and gave an assurance of following up to ensure the municipal and district assemblies settled their indebtedness with the company.