Govt takes media on tour of Ghana @50 projects

Accra, Aug 7, GNA - Minister for Information and National Orientation, Mrs Oboshie Sai Cofie on Tuesday took media personnel on a four-hour tour of some Ghana @50 project sites in the capital city. On the tour were the Press Secretary to the President, Mr Andrew Awuni, and Ms Catherine Afeku, Government Spokesperson on Infrastructure.

The group visited the new VVIP Lounge at the Kotoka International Airport. The facility has its own conference facilities, as well as Ministerial and Presidential waiting rooms.

The group also visited two Africa Union Villages at Ridge and La Wireless.

At the La Wireless area, 103 buildings were constructed, out of which the Ghana@50 owned 30, the Minster said, adding that the rest of the houses belonged to the private sector. All 30 houses at Ridge however belonged to Government.

Mrs Sai Cofie could however not provide the total cost of both villages, since according to her, the tour was just to enable journalists have a first hand impression about the projects that were constructed by the Ghana @50 Secretariat.

"This is to show that the money given to the Ghana @50 Secretariat was not used for a Party Jamboree," she said, adding that, "these edifices would last more than a whole generation".

Mr Francis Dadzie, a consultant to the AU Village project, said the private sector portion of the houses was already out on sale to enable the financiers defray their investments.

The houses at Ridge were five-bedroom apartments in addition to a living room, a family room, a dining and kitchen with a two bedroom Boys' Quarters, while those at La Wireless were four-bedroom apartments, including a Presidential Suite, a living room, and waiting room each.

In his remarks, Mr Awuni said the houses were tangible investment to show off for Ghana's 50th anniversary and an achievement. He said the revenue projection for the buildings far outweighed the cost of construction because the facilities would be used as guesthouses.

Other sites visited were Jubilee sanitary facilities in Accra and Tema areas where work was about 70 per cent complete and at a standstill currently because of lack of funds.

Those on site said the work could be completed within a month if funds were made available.

The group also toured the La market where new sheds had been constructed by the Ghana@50 secretariat but were yet to be inaugurated.