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Abide by regulations, ensure safety – EPA boss urges facility managers
The Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, has advised players in the building and construction sector to abide by regulations and ensure the safety of people, environment as well as the structures they build or manage.
He said, considering the dwindling levels of natural resources, architects, contractors and facility managers must utilise resources efficiently and consider alternative sources of energy such as solar when building.
Speaking at a forum in Accra on Wednesday to mark World Facility Management Day, he again tasked members of the Ghana Chapter of the International Facility Management Association (IMFA-Ghana) to “champion the construction of green buildings, where energy usage is reduced to the barest minimum and avoid practices that impact the environment negatively.”
World Facility Management Day is to celebrate the contribution of Facility Managers and discuss other pertinent issues within the industry.
Tackling the theme: “The Role of the EPA in Shaping Sustainable Future in Ghana,” Dr. Kokofu maintained that building contractors must reserve spaces and adopt practices such, tree-planting and gardening to help replenish lost resources.
He further urged players in the built environment to preserve cultural and architectural heritage of demarcated areas and ensure people were not exposed to noise pollution, and other hazardous elements.
Highlighting the mandate of the EPA, the Chief Executive Officer called for collaboration as the Agency continued to take steps to protect the environment.
He said Facility Mangers had a role to play in protecting the environment and must promote “environmental sustainability” in their operations while working hard to bring on board people in the informal facility management sector.
Madam Regina Christiana Koomson, a Certified International Property Specialist, aslo indicated that buildings were “major contributors to pollution” hence the need for Facility Managers to get involved in sustainable development initiatives, especially that which related to recycling, reducing carbon pollution, among others.
She urged members of the association and stakeholders in the sector to “conduct audit of buildings” and ensure the use of eco-friendly materials.
Mr. Sampson Opare-Ayemang, President of IMFA-Ghana Chapter, commended members of the association for their efforts and urged the EPA to ensure contractors who built high-rise structures “provide space for waste segregation.”
By Ernest Nutsugah
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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