By Edzorna Francis Mensah
The Ministry of Works and Housing is yet to complete a single Housing Unit for victims of the Volta River Authority (VRA) spillage that affected thousands of citizens in some parts of the Volta Region a year after the disaster.
In about two weeks Ghana will be commemorating the first anniversary of the spillage from the Akosombo Dam which has affected many Constituencies in the Southern part of the Volta Region.
The spillage, which started on 15th September, 2023, rendered roughly 39,000 residents homeless and the loss of farmlands and businesses.
Addressing the matter before, the public hearing of the Assurance Committee of Parliament on Wednesday, 28th August, in Parliament, the Sector Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said, a total of One Thousand and Ten (1,010) housing units in the three Tongu Districts under the phase 2 government housing intervention project- “The Ministry has secured a commencement warrant from the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to start work on phase 2 of the resettlement. Under Phase 2, the Government will construct 1,010 housing units’’.
Under phase 1 of government housing intervention, a total of Hundred and Fifteen Housing Units are in various stages of completion in areas like Battor Mepe Agbetikpo Mafi New Bakpa
On question from the Chairman of the Committee, and MP for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as to why displaced victims of the recent VRA-induced floods have not been offered accommodation at the Saglemi Housing Project, the Minister said, the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project was left uninhabitable after $197,000,000 had been expended and that, “the Affordable Housing Project does not have electricity and water extended to the site. In addition, the site lacks a basic sewerage system, making It uninhabitable in its current state”.
On Saglemi issues the Minister stressed the point that, Government has prioritized work on the completion of the Project and that timelines for completion are as follows: “
a) Request for Proposals issued on May 10, 2024
b) Site Visit for Prospective Bidders organized on May 23, 2034
c) Proposals received on July 8, 2024 d) Evaluation of Proposals started on July 9. e) Due diligence on firms ongoing.
d) Developer to be selected by September 30, 2024”.
