Ghana Must learn from MiDA/MCA’s handling of projects

A Ghanaian construction firm, Berock Ventures Ltd. says Ghana would get better value for its infrastructure projects if it follows the management model of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) in handling its projects.

MiDA has over the past week been commissioning various projects in the Volta, Northern and Upper East regions, executed under the first compact of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA).

Berock is one of the local construction firms that undertook various MiDA projects under the US government sponsored MCA.

According to the management of the company, timely payments for works done, strict supervision, planning and effective monitoring mechanisms and constant stakeholder engagements ensured quality and timely delivery of the projects.

Speaking in an interview with a cross section of journalists, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr Courage Dogbegah said besides the benefits of the projects under the MCA, one of the greatest lessons that Ghana must learn "is the effective and efficient management strategies adopted by the MIDA team".

He said if Ghana could apply that level of efficiency to other projects, the country would get value for money for the various projects being constructed.

Various projects, including classrooms, water projects, a pack house for fresh fruits and vegetables and the famous George Walker Bush highway were executed under the five year Compact and most of these projects were handled by Ghanaian construction firms.

Mr Dogbegah said the fact that local firms were able to execute these projects was an indication that the shoddy works were more as a result of other factors other than the simple fact that, Ghanaians were incapable.

He said the people working at MiDA and the project consultants were largely Ghanaians and that if they could supervise works with such level of efficiency, then it means that failures recorded with other projects were because of inefficient systems and mechanisms rather than the personnel.

The CEO of Berock Ventures Ltd, said the handling of the MiDA projects had enhanced the capacity of many Ghanaian companies as they were exposed to new challenges and best practices.

He expressed the hope that the next Compact that Ghana is to benefit from will provide more opportunities for local firms.**