Government assures Ghanaians of implementing STX housing project

Takoradi, Nov.10, GNA - The Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, has admitted that there is serious boardroom wrangling between the Korean STX Company and its Ghanaian counterpart over the execution of 3the 0,000 housing unit project.

The housing units are meant for the security services.

He said the Committee set up by the President to analyse the causes of the impasse had presented its report and recommendations, and expressed the hope that in due course a concrete decision would be taken on the project.

Mr Ablakwa made this known at the Western Region’s turn of the Meet-the-Press series in Takoradi on Wednesday.

He said the stalemate is between the Korean STX company and G.A Airport, the Ghanaian counterpart headed by Mr Bernard Kwabena Asamoah and expressed optimism that the two parties would smoke the peace pipe to pave way for the commencement of the project.

Mr Ablakwa noted that the project was aimed at resolving the more than one million housing deficit and bring a huge relief to Ghanaians.

He said government had given GH¢30 million to the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority, to execute its mandate, adding that offices have been opened to administer the projects in earnest.

Touching on the Western Corridor project, the Deputy Minister hinted that the government has set up a technical team to identify persons who would head the committee to implement it.

Mr Ablakwa said 80 per cent of the three billion Chinese loan facility would be expended on infrastructure development to promote the economy in the region.

He said revamping of the railway sector, oil refinery, expansion of the Takoradi port, road network, and education and health facilities would be addressed.

Commenting on the fallen standard of education in the country, the Deputy Minister asked Ghanaians not to discuss the issue from a partisan point of view and rather take a holistic look at the problem.

He asked illegal miners popularly referred to as Galamsey to acquire licenses from the Minerals Commission to regulate their operations to avoid harassment and arrest from the security agencies.

Making a presentation on the overview of development projects and challenges in the Region, Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, described the area as the food basket of the country, which holds the key to development.

He said the region’s total contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product is about 55 per cent.

Mr Aidoo said 42,115 school children and 127 schools are benefitting from the Ghana School Feeding Programme in the region, whilst 75,983 school uniforms have been distributed to pupils.

He said 16 Ghana Education Trust fund sponsored projects have been completed with 31 projects on-going and ranging from classroom blocks, teachers’ bungalows, dormitories and ancillary facilities.

The Regional Minster announced that, as of October this year, 357 health facilities had been put up to ensure quality health care, comprising 23 hospitals, two polyclinics, 59 health centres, 92 Community-Based Health Planning Services compounds, 161 clinics, 20 maternity homes, 68 doctors, 1,210 nurses with 1:32,211 doctor-patient ratio.

He added that, a total of 1,0687,132 people had registered under the National Health Insurance scheme in the region while private health facilities are now accepting card holders of the scheme.