Government is wrong to release Saglemi Housing Project to private developers – Akua Donkor
As part of efforts to beat down the housing deficit in the country, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) initiated the Saglemi Housing Project to help vulnerable Ghanaian who have issues in paying their rents and also the homeless.
Founder of the Ghana Freedom Party, GFP, Madam Akua Donkor during an interview on the Active Morning Show on Tuesday, November 22, disagreed with the government’s decision to sell the 300-acre project to a private developer.
“This project should be given to government workers like the police, teachers and national service workers who can make use of this project and the buses available should take these workers in and out of work,” the farmer turned politician stated.
Her comments follows the announcement of the government’s decision to sell the 1502 housing unit project to a private developer to complete and sell at no extra cost to the state. According to the sector minister, Asenso Boakye, it makes sense due to the financial constraints the government is currently bedeviled with.
Background
The Saglemi Housing Project is a government housing project initiated in 2012 under the Mahama-led NDC government. The purpose was of ease the housing deficit in the country.
in line with Article 181(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, Parliament approved a funding from Credit Suisse on October 13, 2012. The then Finance Minister Seth Terkper signed the facility agreement for the release of $200 million funding for the construction of 5000 housing units that would comprise one, two and three bedroom units among other amenities.
The Engineering Procurement and Construction Agreement with Construtora OAS Ghana Limited which was represented by Clocanas was signed by the Works and Housing Minister at the time, Collins Dauda. President John Mahama cut the sod for the project to commence in November 2013.
Since then, 80 per cent work is said to have been done on the 1502 one to three-bedroom apartments and townhouses sited on a 300-acre land in the Ningo-Prampram area.
Phase one of the project has 180 blocks housing 1500 flats. The NPP government that took over six years ago reported that only 668 housing units were completed and that they were not habitable. The NPP-led government said the completed work was overestimated and the actual value was $64 million as opposed to the $196 million reported by NDC.
By: Erica Teye
