Mahama 'attacks' Akufo-Addo government over abandonment of Saglemi housing project

Former President, John Dramani Mahama, has accused the Akufo-Addo-led government of intentionally failing to complete the Saglemi housing project.

He wondered how government that said it was unable to raise money to complete the Saglemi housing project was willing to spend half a billion cedis on "the largest civil excavation in Africa."

He opined that the abandonment of the project by government was because the affordable housing project was initiated by him.

In a Facebook post sighted by GhanaWeb Business, John Dramani Mahama described the launch of the 8,000 affordable housing units at Pokuase on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, as a misplaced priority.

He said leaders must always prioritise the well-being of their citizens and ensure they benefit from government resources and projects regardless of which government initiated them.

Mahama, in his Facebook post said, "Knowing the NPP government, they did not want to complete the Saglemi housing project simply because it was initiated by John Mahama and an NDC administration. Leaders must always prioritise the well-being of their citizens and ensure that they benefit from government resources and projects, regardless of who initiated them."

"The misplaced priorities of a government that claims it is unable to raise money to complete the Saglemi housing project and yet is willing to spend half a billion cedis on the largest civil excavation in Africa is a humiliating slap in the face of Ghanaians who entrusted Akufo Addo with their mandate," part of his post read.

He added that, "Just think about the countless number of Ghanaian families who could have had decent living conditions over the past 7 years and the individuals who could have had a place to truly call home in Saglemi."

The Saglemi project, located in Prampram comprises 5,000 housing units.

The housing project was originally intended to provide mortgage arrangements for the housing units to be sold to employees through the Ghana Home Loans Company.

However, due to variations in the project, only about 1,506 housing units have been completed.

In November last year, government decided to wash its hands off the Saglemi housing project to allow a private developer to take over.

According to the Ministry of Works and Housing, the private developer will refurbish the housing units and sell them to potential owners.

On Wednesday, August 2, 2023, the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) gave its approval for the appointment of a transaction advisor to facilitate the sale of the Saglemi Housing project to a private sector entity.

This decision follows a directive from cabinet to the Minister of Works and Housing to explore the possibility of disposing off the project.

The aim is to sell the project at its current value to a private sector entity, which will take on the responsibility of completing the housing units and selling them to the public at no further cost to the government.

ESA/KPE

Read Mahama's Facebook post below;



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