VICE PRESIDENT COMMISSIONS NAVAL BARRACKS
The Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, commissioned the newly- constructed Naval Barracks at the Eastern Naval Command, Tema, for the gallant service men and women who have been working tirelessly to secure the peace and safety of the country.
The barracks is the Phase two of the Security Services Housing Project. It is fully gated and made up of 23 blocks comprising a total of 368 apartments. Out of the 23 blocks, 8 blocks are 3-bedroom flats and 15 blocks are 2-bedrooms flats.
The facility also comes with a multi-purpose sports facility and a play ground for personnel and their families. The project was fully financed by the Government of Ghana and constructed by Messrs Amandi Holdings Group at a cost of GH¢ 101.2 million.
Commissioning the facility, Dr. Bawumia said, completion of the project is another step in the overall development and modernization of facilities for the Ghana Armed Forces and also toward improvements in the Ghana Armed Forces’ accommodation, saying it is necessary to ensure that the country has the best of facilities for all security personnel.
He noted that, the completed units could not have come at a better time than now because housing is a basic human need and that the desire for a decent home is every human being’s dream and key to the overall development of any nation, as it impacts directly on the social, health and economic status of citizens.
Dr. Bawumia said, the NPP Government has a master plan which is anchored on government’s overall commitment to improve the living conditions of the security personnel and will soon roll out the National Barracks Regeneration Programme which will seek to invest in the rehabilitation and upgrading of their living quarters across the country.
The Vice President assured the Security Services that the issues of accommodation are topmost on the priority list of the Akufo-Addo Government and that the Government has commenced discussions with Messrs Sinohydro Corporation Limited, for the construction of 40,000 houses and court structures for the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Prisons Service, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service and the Judicial Service.
He added that, the Government has also made considerable progress with Messrs Amandi Holdings to commence Phase III of the Security Housing Project for the Ghana Police Service.
Touching on the several Housing situation, in the country, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, stated that the Government is working around the clock to reduce the housing deficit currently facing the country which is in excess of 1.7 million units, adding that it is expected to rise to 2 million by 2020 if swift measures are not taken.
According to him, factors which account for the situation include high cost of purchasing or renting a home, litigation over land ownership, high cost of building materials, high labour cost, high cost of finance, and lack of a realistic and reliable mortgage regime in the country. He assured Ghanaians that the Ministry of Works and Housing, is working tirelessly to address the problems bedevilling housing delivery in the country.
The Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Honorable Freda Prempeh, who read a speech on behalf of the sector Minister, said Government’s approach to help Ghanaians meet their aspirations is to adopt a novel way for construction of homes and instituting creative financing schemes geared towards improving overall affordability and access to decent homes for all working Ghanaians and their families in modern communities.
She disclosed that in the medium term, Government would put in place measures to continue work on 342 Government Affordable Housing Units in Koforidua, 200 units in Tamale and 144 Units in Wa, as well as 1500 Units at Saglemi.
The Deputy Minister, added that in the long term, Government would commence the construction of Affordable Housing Units in Bolgatanga, Cape Coast, Ho, Takoradi and Sunyani.
On his part, Honorable Dominic Nitiwul, Minister of Defence, expressed his profound gratitude to both past and present governments, especially the Ministry of Works and Housing, for the completion of the Naval Housing project. He said the project will serve as a relief to the Ghana Navy.