The Managing Director of MC-Bauchemie Ghana Limited, Noble Bediako, has described as woefully inadequate the number of professional artisans in the construction sector of the country.
He made the remark at the grand opening of the office, concrete training centre and factory of MC-Bauchemie Ghana Limited, a leading international producer of building and construction chemical products and technology in Ghana.
Speaking at the event, Noble Bediako called on government and stakeholders to prioritise the training of artisans to equip them with technical and soft skills needed for the sector.
“The number of professional and skilled train artisans within the building industry is woefully inadequate. For every ten mansion we work with, we could hardly find two that could properly lay blocks and plaster without supervision. From carpenters to mansions and tillers, it was almost impossible to find skilled Ghanaian artisans. Even when we did, the total lack of professionalism made it impossible to work with them.”
“It is imperative that some quick action is taken to structure the industry not only to attract young artisans but to retain them to provide the required downstream support to our architects, engineers and other top-level experts within the industry. I will strongly suggest the inclusion of soft skills training in this program. Skilled artisans without professional and sound attitudes are a disaster to work with”.
The Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso- Boakye, who welcomed the call to train professional artisans, also indicated that the government is willing to support key players in the construction sector to grow the economy.
“There is no doubt that the Ghanaian construction and manufacturing industry, as in many economies, hold the keys to the development of our country. They contribute to the national socio-economy development, by providing significant employment opportunities to both skilled and unskilled labour. However, exploiting the activities and outcomes of the construction and manufacturing industry towards the anticipated socio-economic progress does not materialize on a haphazard and weak developmental framework. That is why the government of his Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo is committed to providing the requisite support for this sector to thrive and its full potential of helping to grow our national economy”.