Asenso-Boakye Honoured as Best Minister for Infrastructure Development

Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye, Member of Parliament for the Bantama constituency and the Minister for Works and Housing, received the esteemed title of “2023 Best Minister for Infrastructure Development in Ghana”.

The award ceremony took place in Accra on October 25, 2023, as part of the Chamber of Construction 2023 Awards for Industrial Players event.

During the ceremony, Hon. Asenso-Boakye expressed the government’s unwavering dedication to prioritizing infrastructure development across the nation.

He emphasized the government’s commitment to creating a favourable environment for private sector investment, acknowledging the significant contributions private businesses bring in terms of financial resources, innovation, expertise, and efficiency required for successful project execution.

While highlighting the importance of public-private partnerships (PPPs), he recognized that “despite being a commonly employed financing mechanism, PPPs still represent an evolving concept in the Sub-Saharan Africa, largely due to persistent obstacles hindering their successful execution”.

As a response, in 2020, the government of Ghana passed the Public Private Partnership Act (Act 1039) to streamline regulations, reduce bureaucracy, and enhance the government framework to boost private sector confidence and attract essential capital for infrastructure projects.

Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye was attentive to the challenges faced by contractors, particularly related to delayed payments.

He assured the audience that he was committed to addressing these payment issues to the best of his abilities.

”As the Minister responsible for the construction sector, I want to express my awareness of the difficulties contractors are encountering, particularly, concerning delayed payments. I want to assure you that I am committed to addressing these payment issues to the best of my abilities.”

He expressed his gratitude to the Chamber of Construction for recognizing his contributions and conferring upon him the title of “2023 Best Minister for Infrastructure Development in Ghana.”

He emphasized that the award serves as an additional motivator for him to continue his dedicated work as the Minister for Works and Housing, benefiting the country and its citizens.

Story by Nana Kwaku Boffah