By Juliet ETEFE
Government has moved to deepen engagement with stakeholders to integrate strategic facility management (FM) into national infrastructure planning, as part of efforts to curb asset decay and improve operational efficiency.
The commitment was highlighted at a National Stakeholders Forum organised by the Ghana Chapter of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) in Accra, under the theme ‘Facility Management as a strategic partner in business continuity, efficiency and nation building’.
In a keynote address read on her behalf, Deputy Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, acknowledged that while significant attention has been placed on infrastructure delivery, insufficient emphasis has historically been given to managing assets throughout their lifecycle.
With Ghana’s housing deficit estimated at about 1.8 million units and growing, she stressed that construction represents only the beginning of value creation, noting that the real measure of investment impact lies in how effectively assets are maintained, protected and optimised over time.
Efficiency gains
She emphasised that infrastructure assets constitute one of the largest categories of public investment, noting that in advanced economies such as the United Kingdom and the United States, the FM sector contributes tens of billions annually to national output reinforcing its strategic importance to productivity and institutional performance.
Studies by IFMA and other global institutions show that effective facility management practices can reduce operational costs by between 15 and 30 percent while significantly extending asset lifespans.
For Ghana, which continues to operate within constrained fiscal space despite improving macroeconomic indicators, even a 10 percent improvement in efficiency across public facilities could generate substantial savings for reallocation to priority sectors including health, education, housing and agriculture.
The Deputy Minister therefore indicated that the Ministry is systematically integrating facility management into all stages of project planning and development to prevent premature deterioration of public infrastructure.
National framework
She noted that engagements with IFMA Ghana have identified key areas of collaboration, including the development of a national Facility Management framework, targeted capacity-building initiatives for ministry and agency staff, pilot projects within selected government facilities, and the formulation of policy guidelines tailored to Ghana’s governance and infrastructure context.
Discussions also include the establishment of an appropriate regulatory structure to strengthen standards and institutional accountability.
The Deputy Minister emphasised that as the country advances infrastructure development under the Government’s Big Push Agenda and accelerates digital transformation, the reliability, sustainability and efficiency of public facilities must align with broader economic ambitions.
FM beyond maintenance
In his welcome address, President of IFMA Ghana Chapter, Sampson Opare Agyeman, underscored the evolving role of facility management from a traditional maintenance function to a strategic discipline integrating people, place and process to ensure resilience, cost-efficiency and sustainability.
“Facility Management is no longer a back-office function,” he stated, adding that business continuity and operational excellence are deliberate outcomes of professional planning and collaboration.
Mr. Agyeman said the forum sought to foster a unified national conversation on FM’s strategic importance, strengthen collaboration among built environment professionals, engage policymakers, and deepen academia–industry linkages to equip future practitioners with relevant, globally aligned skills.
Capacity building and industry growth
Industry experts at the forum emphasised the importance of training and education in boosting organisational productivity and national development.
Facility Management Professional (FMP), Augustine Affum Sarpong, highlighted the need for continuous capacity building for facility management personnel, including training on emerging technologies, sustainability practices and proactive maintenance systems.
He also called for increased awareness among facility users to support efficient operations.
John Vinken, an IFMA instructor, said effective facility management delivers key outcomes including enhancing workplace functionality and productivity, optimising operational costs and improving safety and comfort for occupants.
Panel discussions reinforced the need to integrate FM principles at the design stage of infrastructure projects and to embed industry-aligned curricula within universities to prepare graduates for practical challenges in the built environment.
Stakeholders reiterated that a strong national foundation in facility management is essential to safeguarding public investments, reducing asset decay and enhancing long-term national productivity.
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