Some members of the association with Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye (middle)

Some executives and members of the Ghana Chapter of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA-Ghana) recently paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Works and Housing Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye in Accra.

The visit, among other things, was to discuss how facility managers could help maintain public facilities that were deteriorating due to poor maintenance culture and also push for the need to pass legislation that would ensure every orginisation had a certified facility manager.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Sampson Opare-Agyemang, President of the association, raised concerns about the country’s public facilities and the chapter’s role in developing the capacity of facility managers in Ghana.

“Over the past years we have visited some technical universities and educated them on the need to start a course in Facility Management,” he noted.

According to him, one of the challenges facility managers faced was the absence of a maintenance manual to aid effective management of the buildings.

He, therefore, stressed the need for contractors to provide maintenance manuals to guide the operations of facility managers while Parliament initiates a bill to ensure effective regulation of activities within the built environment.

Responding to the plea of the team, Mr Asenso-Boakye also expressed delight and the ministry’s commitment to support the members of the association and other initiatives within the sector.

He further encouraged the team to continue public education on the essential role facility management played in ensuring the safety and sustainability of public and private infrastructure.

Founded in 1980, IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognised association for facility management professionals, 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, since its inception, continues to organise training programmes for new and existing members, and leading advocacy on the need to ensure public and private structures remain in good shape.

By Spectator Reporter