Delay and Its Effect on The Delivery of Construction Projects In Ghana

It is common knowledge that our construction industry in this country has been bedeviled with a lot of delayed and uncompleted projects. Delays can be minimized when the factors causing them are identified. The objective of this study was therefore to identify the various delay factors that affect the delivery of construction projects, the effects of delays on the delivery of construction projects, and assess and identify the most critical delay factors that affect construction project delivery in Ghana. During the review a total of fifty-seven factors were identified and categorized into eight groups that contributed to the causes of delays. Six effects of these delays on construction projects and thirty five methods of minimizing construction delays were identified. Questionnaires were distributed to targeted respondents mainly contractors belonging to Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, as well as Consultants who were on good standing with the Department of Feeder Roads. Results from the research indicated that the top three out of the ten most critical factors that cause delays in the delivery of construction projects were; Shortage of construction materials, poor site management practices and poor supervision. In order to minimize the effects of  delays, it was recommended that contractors' managerial skills and technical knowledge be improved through frequently organized seminars, workshop and training programs which would help update their knowledge on project management techniques and processes.