The Minister of Works and Housing, Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye, says the government is committed to completing all housing projects started by previous administrations. He said the government was, consequently, taking the necessary steps to revive the Saglemi Housing Project and others which faced fundamental challenges.
At the sod-cutting ceremony for the Pokuase Housing Project at Pokuase in the Greater Accra Region on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, Hon. Asenso-Boakye said the government was focused on building affordable homes for the ordinary Ghanaian.
He said the pursuit of affordable housing in the country by successive governments had encountered significant setbacks, citing a 5,000 housing units project in six different towns under President Kufuor, and the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, initiated by Presidents Mills and Mahama.
Other projects
“In 2006, under the leadership of President John Agyekum Kufuor, government launched an Affordable Housing Programme which aimed to construct 5,000 housing units in six different towns over a five-year period,” he said, referring to projects slated for Asokore Mampong in the Ashanti Region, and Borteyman and Kpone in the Greater Accra Region.
“Similarly, in 2012, under the leadership of President John Evans Atta Mills, and later President John Mahama, the NDC government also initiated the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, with the intention of addressing the country’s housing needs. Regrettably, this project also encountered fundamental challenges, which halted the project due to various factors. Government is taking the necessary steps to revive the project,” he added.
The minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Bantama constituency in the Ashanti Region, said “these projects did not progress as expected” because they “failed to consider the entire ecosystem involved in the delivery of housing, such as the availability of land, infrastructure, sustainable funding, building materials, and an inclusive demand-side arrangement”.
“Aside from that, no comprehensive project planning or feasibility studies were conducted to establish the viability of the project before commencement,” he said.
Feasibility, viability
Hon. Asenso-Boakye said the Pokuase Housing Project had been taken through the necessary feasibility and viability processes to ensure that it did not face the challenges of the previous ones.
He said in the current project, the government would offer “free unencumbered land and associated infrastructure” to the private sector to construct the housing units at an agreed selling price.
“Unlike the previous efforts, this revised programme stands out as distinct and exceptional in multiple ways. This distinction arises primarily from the valuable insights gained from our past experiences, inspiring our commitment to approach things the right way this time,” he said.
Culled: Graphic online