The Ghana Chapter of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA-Ghana) has certified nine new facility managers following successful completion of a week-long training programme.

The trainees, who ended the Facility Management Professional (FMP) course last Friday at Ensign Global College at Kpong, brought to 90 the number of practitioners trained by IFMA-Ghana in four years.

They were assessed in modules such as Operations and Main­tenance, Project Management, Leadership and Strategy, Business and Finance, facilitated by IMFA Qualified Instructor, Mr. John An­thony Vinken.

Speaking after the session, Mr. Sampson Opare-Ayemang, President of IMFA-Ghana, said the course enabled participants to appreciate their role, take up new assignments and execute their functions with the requisite expertise within the sector.

He said the poor maintenance routine of some public facilities in the country implied that there must be qualified per­sonnel to manage and ensure the longevi­ty of private and public properties.

In this regard, Mr. Opare-Ayemang said IFMA-Ghana would continue to roll out programmes as part of its mission to develop the capacity of facility managers in the country.

The trainees described the course as a great learning experience that will propel them to make positive impact at their workplaces.

“It has been great sharing ideas and comparing notes with people from my in­dustry. The serene environment helped to concentrate on the course and I am glad I took this decision,” Ms. Dzifa Nuer said.

Ms. Caroline Frimpong Apenteng, an­other trainee was pleased to be certified after working in the facility management sector for the past 15 years and thanked IFMA-Ghana for the opportunity.

Mr. John Digber, a trainee also encour­aged practitioners to take up the course to broaden their scope and expertise in the industry.

‘’When the foundation of a building is weak, the absence of a Facility Manage­ment Professional will expose you,” Mr Prince Henry Botwe, an FMP, noted and urged individuals to sign up to courses which would “propel their career to the next level.”

Founded in 1980, IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognised association for supporting over 20,000 members in more than 100 countries. The association, among other objectives, aims to “lead the future of the built environ­ment to make the world a better place.”

The Ghana Chapter, apart from train­ing new and existing members, leads advocacy to ensure public and private structures remain in good shape.

By Ernest Nutsugah