Ghana's Government Must Encourage Partnerships Between Ghanaian And Foreign Construction Companies

President Mahama recently inspected work, which is being carried out by the contractor building the model community day secondary school, at Bamainkor, in the Western Region.

The president agreed with the Omanhene of Bamainkor, Nana Angama Tu-Agyan IX, that shedding tears of joy was an appropriate  response to the contractor's diligence and hard work, in executing the project - which apparently is nearing completion.

Clearly, our homeland Ghana will move ahead more rapidly,  if all contractors given government contracts were as hardworking and conscientious, as the contractor building the Bamainkor community day secondary school.

President Mahama's administration must encourage such contractors by pairing them off with reputable foreign contractors - to enable technology transfer to strengthen such responsible and productive Ghanaian construction companies.

Perhaps they should study the partnership model being employed by the UK company, NMS Infrastructure Limited, to execute the district hospital projects in Dodowa, Sekondi, Kumawu, Abetifi, Fomena, and Garu-Tempane.

NMS Infrastructure Ltd has partnered the Ghanaian company Genelec Holdings Limited to execute the 6-hospital project in Ghana.

A similar partnership could be brought into being between the contractor building the Bamainkor community day secondary school, and the UK company, Precast Concrete Structures Limited, for example - to enable the government to complete many of its construction projects across Ghana on time and within budget: using world-class construction-engineering technology.

To strengthen Ghanaian construction companies, and turn the best amongst them into world-class entities, it is in the long-term interest of our nation that the government  pairs them off with the foreign construction companies, which execute government projects across the country.

No government contract must be awarded to any foreign construction company in this country if it does not have a registered Ghanaian partner. That is the only way we can effectively build the capacity of Ghanaian construction companies - and enable them to bid successfully for jobs across Africa: and help improve our nation's balance of payments.