I'm aiming to 'find money, innovative ways' to complete Saglemi – Asenso-Boakye

The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has said he is aiming at finding money and innovative ways toward completing all the remainder of the 1,502-unit Saglemi housing project in Prampram, Greater Accra.

Addressing the media after touring the site, Mr Asenso-Boakye said investors and engineers on the project will be engaged before the government announces a completion date.

“A lot has been done but a lot more needs to be done. We have invested close to GHS200 million into this project and this is where we are”, he observed.

“I believe the project was a great idea but the conception, the design, the implementation did not go well at all and that is why we have found ourselves in this situation”, the former deputy chief of staff noted.

He said: “I am committed to putting the past behind us and moving forward so that we can complete the project of over 1,000 housing units.”

Ghana’s current housing deficit, he noted, was two million, so, “if we are able to complete these housing units, it is a big step toward tackling the housing [deficit]”.

The new minister admitted: “I’m not a technical person, so, I don’t know the very details of it” but pointed out: “My task is to find money and find a very innovative way of looking for resources to complete this project”.

For her part, the Director of Housing at the ministry, Ms Theresa Tuffour, said: “Out of 1,502 they have completed 1,389”.

“Three hundred eighty-six are at various stages, 868 have been completed and if our infrastructure is provided; that is, light, water, and the sewage system is done, people can move in and occupy it”, she noted.

“And then, there are about 139 townhouses that have also been completed”, she mentioned.

The project, started under the Mahama administration, stalled upon the assumption of office by President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2017 with reason that there were contractual anomalies that needed auditing.