GSA to employ 20,000 youth through collaboration with assemblies on National Building Code

Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Professor Alex Dodoo, has hinted that some 20,000 youth will be employed as the Authority seeks to collaborate with district assemblies to inspect and certify buildings under the National Building Code.

The youth will be engaged as inspection and certification officers within various district assemblies across the country.

He said the inspection and certification of structures will cover new buildings under construction and ungoing renovations on old houses. In addition, the code will set standards on the quality and durability of construction materials.

‘’With support from International Finance Corporate (IFC) and Ministry of Works and Housing, the GSA using Ghanaian experts have developed a comprehensive 35 chapter building code to inspect and certify all building structures across the country,’’ he said.

Prof. Dodoo in an interview with Goldstreet Business in Accra explained that persons who construct government buildings will not be exempted from the code as it applies to every structural development.

According to him, the building code is expected to be launched in October by the Vice President, Dr Bawumia with support from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Works and Housing, the World Bank Group and the GSA.

The Vice President during the launch, will spell out the modalities of the National Building Code.

Works and Housing Minister, Samuel Atta Akyea, earlier this year announced in Parliament a National Building Code, soon to be introduced by government.

Its implementation will check on the level of indiscipline by some developers and inadequate control from planning authorities and other agencies.

According to the minister, the code will conform to international building standards which aims at ensuring adequate protection, public health and safety in the building and construction industry.

‘’It will ensure uniformity in the construction industry by providing building professionals, developers and investors with common standards for public health, safety, fire protection, structural efficiency and environmental integrity,’’ he noted.