The Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors of Ghana (ABCECG) has welcomed government’s initiative to increase the use of indigenous raw materials in building and construction.The cost of housing and other infrastructural development in Ghana is excessively high as most of the materials used are imported.Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffour, presenting the 2011 Budget statement, announced a housing policy programme on the utilization of local building materials, which is anticipated to considerably reduce the import bill on building materials.The use of clay brick and tiles, pozzolana cement, bamboo and other local materials will be increased by at least 60 percent in 2015.According to Eric Tsah, the 2nd National Vice-President of the Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors, “It’s high time the country’s resources are being tapped and this is one area by which the construction industry can grow”.He however told Luv FM that the materials should be readily available and supplied in greater quantities for contractors to use in the execution of projects.“Many a time policies are made but right on the ground it’s quite difficult to get the materials or to implement some of these programmes. So if government has seen the need to get it done, I think it’s in the right direction”, Mr. Tsah noted.Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh/Luv Fm/Ghana