Facility management is a profession that encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure functionality of the built environment by integrating people, place, process and technology.

The President of IFMA-Ghana, Sampson Agyeman- Opare, speaking at the launch of the celebration of World Facility Managers Day yesterday, said the challenge in the built environment had not been just lack of maintenance culture but also lack of understanding on the value of facility managers by businesses and institutions.

To be celebrated on May 10, in Kumasi, the country’s chapter would be celebrating the World FM Day under the theme ‘Facility Management making a real difference in Ghana.’

He said the role of the government in achieving a sustainable built environment could not be over emphasised for which reason it was imperative for the government to establish appropriate legislations and ensure its compliance.

“Establishing a government FM department or agency for infrastructure management and regulation is critical,” he added.

He said there was the pressing need for Public Private Partnership (PPP) as that could guarantee long term maintenance and sustainability of the built environment, adding that “outsourcing facility management, to professional organisations is the best practice.”

Mr Opare-Agyeman said activities to commemorate the celebration included a facility tour of the Bulk Oil and Storage Transportation (BOST) and a round table discussion.

He said topics including; The strategic role of facility management in sustaining the built environment and the “Health and Wellbeing in a post-COVID-19 hybrid working environment would be discussed.

The IFMA-GH is a group of facility management professionals in Ghana, and part of the largest group of facility management professionals in the world today called The International Facility Management Association.