Promoting Partnership with Traditional Authorities in Development Projects: A Model for Community Infrastructure Project Delivery in Ghana

Promoting partnership with traditional Authority Project (PPTAP) was designed to translate into reality the vision of having our traditional leaders play pivotal roles in community devel­opment. The project was to test the role that chiefs, queen mothers and other opinion leaders could play in the decentralization of community development. In spite of the presence of some challenges with respect to project implementation such as slow pace in the payment of coun­terpart fund contribution, this novelty achieved spectacular successes. This paper discusses the results of a questionnaire survey that looked at the role played by traditional authorities and community involvement in infrastructure development for 40 selected communities in Ashanti region under the PPTAP, with support from the International Development Agency (IDA) of the World Bank and the Government of Ghana. The paper concludes that the inclusion of tradi­tional authorities in beneficiary communities helped in an accurate identification of community needs, minimization of cost incurred and high-quality workmanship as well as strengthened ownership. For community based development, the paper recommends a Tripartite Partnership (TTP), where Traditional Authorities work in tandem with the Public and Private Sector to ensure sustainable national development. PPTAP presents an excellent framework for such TPP arrangements. Keywords: Traditional Authorities, Community Based Project, Infrastructure, Developmen

An inquiry into the health and safety management practices of construction firms in South Korea

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) management practices of construction companies in South Korea to ascertain specific components and practices that need improvement for successful OSH performance. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research strategy was adopted. A close-ended questionnaire survey covering 45 OSH management practices was sent to 324 contractors; 108 responses were gathered, representing a response rate of 33.3%. Data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and Pearson’s chi-square test. Findings: The findings revealed that there is a moderate level of implementation of OSH management practices among construction firms in South Korea. However, there is a significant disparity in terms of implementation between large enterprises on the one hand and small to medium enterprises on the other. Furthermore, a few of the business characteristics (i.e. the size of companies and certification to OHSAS 18001) were closely associated with the extent of the implementation of OSH management practices. Practical implications: This research uncovers the OSH management practices that are poorly implemented and lays the foundation for appropriate measures to improve OSH in South Korean construction companies. It suggests an effective strategy for communicating health and safety issues to workers, training safety managers, reviewing risk assessments, reviewing the health and safety plan, incentivising workers by rewarding good behaviour and having a penal mechanism for employees not adhering to the rules. Originality/value: The study provides insights into an under-investigated South Korean construction industry topic. It offers additional insight into state-of-the-art health and safety management practices in the construction industry in South Korea. Furthermore, it establishes which components of OSH management practice require improvement in the Korean context. This is also one of the few studies in OSH which establishes the association between the construction business characteristics and OSH management in the South Korean construction domain