Mr Philip Attiapa Mensah, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of PAMV Real Estate, has urged present and future governments to constantly prioritise and sustain efforts towards infrastructural development as a prerequisite to ensuring business prosperity and industrial stability in the country.
He said good roads, electricity, water and proper land management regimes should be given the foremost attention since these factors were at the core of the success of all business operations.
In an interview with the media on the sidelines of the Ghana Cooperative Summit and Awards in Accra, Mr Mensah said any departure from this noble developmental effort would be a fertile ground for businesses and industries to suffer undue challenges.
He identified the high exchange rate resulting in the high cost of building materials such as cement and iron rods, as challenges his operations have suffered from its inception till date.
Other issues, such as the erratic supply of water and electricity, which used to be ini
tial challenges, have been sorted out to a greater extent.
He said the challenge of infrastructure, particularly road infrastructure, was heavily hinged on the shoulders of the government, which if addressed would go a long way to boost the real estate industry since all locations would be easily accessible and desirable to prospective clients.
To this end, he said ongoing efforts to upgrade and widen the road in certain parts of the country were commendable as it would quicken the pace of socio-economic linkages.
He said electricity remained one of the indispensable resources to business stability.
He urged governments to adopt sustainable and strategic measures to avoid a plunge into the unproductive businesses confronted with in the distant and recent past.
He, however, commended the government for taking aggressive measures to mitigate the impact of the recent power outages, which had a negative impact on the business industry, adding however that a lasting solution should be found to the phenomenon
to avoid a devastating future occurrence.
According to him, good road infrastructure connects people, positively fuels business growth and reduces business costs while making the transportation of goods easier.
He said though the road project was capital intensive and ranged from medium to long term, it was worth giving attention in view of the long-term benefit.
Furthermore, he admonished all government regimes to attach equal importance to making healthcare accessible to all citizens in line with global development goals, adding that the sector should be decentralized to cover the ordinary citizen since sound health was key to a productive nation.
The Real Estate Developer, who was adjudged the Best Real Estate Developer at the awards ceremony, said the future of the Real Estate industry might not be sustainable if players focused only on expatriates, who represent a smaller percentage as compared to the larger Ghanaian middle class.
‘We have to find a way to cater for the average Ghanaian because ever
ybody would like to own a house sooner or later,’ he said.
He lauded the government for the low tax regime for the industry during the first five years of operation due to the capital-intensive nature of the industry.
Mr Mensah also supported efforts to set a cap on the pricing of cement, which he said would afford Ghanaians the opportunity to build and purchase their homes at reasonable rates.
PAMV Real Estate, he said, would continue to prioritize the usage of quality materials in its operations to ensure the safety and value for money for its prospective customers, adding that cutting corners in construction was not advisable since it was a case of shooting oneself in the foot.
Mr Mensah said his outfit continued to receive recommendations from existing clients due to its customer-centred mission and high-quality products.
Source: Ghana News Agency