GhIS advocates value engineering to curb infrastructure budget overruns

The Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) has called for the immediate integration of Value Engineering as a game-changing strategy to revolutionise the efficiency and impact of Ghana’s infrastructure projects.

Highlighting its transformative potential, GhIS indicated that Value Engineering was essential key to overcoming the persistent national challenges of infrastructure budget overruns and project delays, that had severely strained and limited resources   hindered accelerated development.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Quantity Surveying Division of GhIS in Cape Coast, Mr Kofi Obeng-Ayirebi, the President of GhIS declared, “As Ghana accelerates its journey toward urbanisation and smart city innovation, Value Engineering stands as an indispensable catalyst for sustainable growth and cutting-edge infrastructure development.”

“Value Engineering is not just cost-cutting; it is about doing things right and doing them well to maximize the benefits of every cedi spent on our national projects.”

Value Engineering is about optimising resources while maintaining high standards of quality and safety by carefully analysing project components to find cost-effective alternatives without compromising function, thus ensuring better value for public investments.

The conference was held on the theme: “Integrating value engineering into infrastructure procurement”.

It brought together members and representatives of GhIS subsidiary institutions like the Quantity Surveying that hosted the event, Land Surveying and Valuation and Estate Surveying Divisions.

Mr Obeng-Ayirebi said Value Engineering would prevent wasteful spending on infrastructure, increase longevity and durability of roads, bridges, and buildings by selecting optimal materials and methods.

He said it will inform better allocation of scarce resources, allowing more infrastructure to be built within available budgets and promote environmentally responsible engineering practices.

He said it would lead to enhanced public trust through timely completion and quality delivery of projects.

Mr Osei Agyeman-Badu, Chairman of the Quantity Surveying Division of GhIS, similarly advocated for a national policy on value engineering to rake in its enormous benefits.

He said having a national policy on Value Engineering would help standardise Value Engineering practices, ensuring consistent application across infrastructure projects to achieve better outcomes of taxpayers’ money.

For that matter, he called for comprehensive procurement reforms, policies, and regulations to include value engineering, particularly for projects of high value threshold.

“In our professional practice, we should also strive to apply Value Engineering principles in a structured approach using systematic analysis, cost-benefit analysis, alternative solutions of construction methods, risk management and life cycle costing,” he noted.

In a speech read on behalf of Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area, he highly commended GhIS for their immense contributions to the infrastructure development nationally, particularly impactful in the Central Region, including the Oguaa Traditional Area.

Osabarimba Kwesi Atta pledged his full support and collaboration with the GhIS to further enhance their mutually beneficial relationship.

“Together, we can ensure that the development projects undertaken are not only sustainable but also culturally respectful and aligned with the aspirations of our people,” he said.

Source: GNA

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