The government has automated the
processing and issuance of construction and building permits.
Known as the Permit Process System
(PPS) it is expected to create an enabling environment as well as reduce the
time and cost of doing business in Ghana.
A Deputy Minister for Local Government
and Rural Development, Kwesi Boateng Adjei who announced this at a day’s
training for stakeholders in the industry, on the use of the software,
envisaged that all metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in
Ghana will benefit from the use of the PPS.
Adjei said that it was important for
stakeholders — planners, surveyors, architects, real Estate Developers,
Industry Players, and the private sector — to be trained on the functions of
the construction permit software.
The project, which began with the
support for the International Development (DFID) through the implementation of
the Business Enabling Environment Project (BEEP) in 2015, was aimed at
accelerating service delivery at the local level with regard to the issuance of
building construction permit at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Tema
Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) as well as reduce the time and cost of doing
business in Ghana.
Adjei explained that part of the funds
for the reform had been allocated to the acquisition of construction permit
software and hardware for Accra and Tema Metropolitan Assemblies as well as the
development and the installation of the construction permit software for the
AMA.
With the introduction of the software,
there will more transparency and visibility on the acquisition of building
permits, reduce the cost to both the developer and the MMDAs since physical
activities such as submission of forms, payments, and inspection will be
reduced.
In addition, there will be an
electronic database of all building and construction permit records,
architectural and structural drawings stored with the application on the PPS.
A Representative of DFID Ghana, Ms.
Benyiwa Bonney, noted that the project aims at reducing the stress people go
through in accessing building and construction permits.
She disclosed that the Governments of
Ghana and the United Kingdom were also collaborating to introduce online taxes
filing to Ghana business friendly.
Ms. Bonney noted that data would be embedded in the software to enable people to print their business permits from wherever they found themselves without having to go to the offices of the MMDAs.http://www.ghana.gov.gh/index.php/media-center/news/5514-government-to-introduce-permit-process-system-for-construction
