Abstract:
The building construction industry provides employment to the citizenry in Ghana, as they
employ both skilled and unskilled labour in their operations, thereby reducing the
unemployment situation facing this country. Most of the Contractors in the industry are Small
and Medium Scale Building Construction Firms whose impact in the nation’s development
cannot be underestimated. The main aim of this research was to identify the contemporary
challenges facing small and medium scale building construction firms in Ghana. The
methodology used included an extensive literature review and field survey conducted on
ninety-seven (97) small and medium scale firms in the Kintampo South and North Municipal
Assemblies. The field survey used the questionnaire instrument and random sampling. The
critical findings from the literature were that there are binding constraints in the operations of
small and medium scale firms. The report shows that these firms are faced with numerous
challenges, which include: late payments of certified works done, Contractor’s lack of
managerial and technical capability to make profit on projects, challenges in job procurement,
financial challenges, firm’s registration challenges, site management and Leadership
challenges. It was recommended that: Regular training for managerial and supervisory staff of
small and medium scale construction firms is a positive index for improved output.
Formulating of friendly financial policy for these contractors will go a long way to ensure
their existence. There should be clear-cut or well defined standards for the registration of
contractors which will reduce the proliferation of all sorts of incompetent contractors in the
construction industry. Delays with interim and final payments, as well as onerous contract
conditions faced by small and medium scale building construction firms, should be
eradicated, as this can also impose huge constraints on the industry.
Description:
A Dissertation in the Department of CONSTRUCTION AND WOOD TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION, Faculty of TECHNICAL EDUCATION, Submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies, University of Education, Winneba in partial fulfillment of requirement
for the award of degree of Master of Technology Education (CONSTRUCTION) degree.
DECEMBER, 2014