CPP UK Press Release

United Kingdom & Ireland Branch; www.cppuk.org; cppuk@hotmail.com Tel: 07958 239 973; 0208 771 9268

CPP UK Press Release

3rd August 2010

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) UK & Ireland notes the NDC’s ongoing propaganda to persuade Ghanaians that its proposals on the “STX Deal” is in the interest of Ghanaians and “Pro- Poor”.

Despite an overwhelming outcry from all sections of Ghanaian society against what can only be described as an obnoxious “ Anti-Ghanaian” deal, The NDC government is hell bent on pursuing the deal.

Perhaps the NDC has not noticed that it is singularly and uniquely alone on this, and has failed to convince the wider population that this is a deal that Ghanaians should embrace.

In contrast to the NDC position a CPP Government of Ghana would immediately:

• Pass a revised Rent Act to help alleviate the suffering of workers and small businesses;

• Work with the Building and Road Research Institute, the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association and other stakeholders in the housing industry to provide technology for building high quality and high capacity homes and apartments across the country;

• Enable a revamped National Housing Unit in the provision of affordable housing throughout the country including rural areas;

• Partner with the Ghana Institution of Engineers and other relevant private and public bodies to improve standards and quality in the construction industry;

• Remove tax holidays for high-end housing markets and provide tax incentives for mass-occupancy affordable housing for workers;

• Promote the development of the mortgage industry to increase the rate of private home ownership in the country.

The NDC Government should embrace or at least consider alternatives such as the proposals made by the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) whose proposals to Government for developing affordable housing over the next 10 years appear to offer more value for money and include:

• A Mass Affordable Housing Scheme of over 300,000 housing units to be built in phases over a 10-year period, across all regions of the country, at a cost of circa $7billion as compared to the 200,000 units at $10billion offered by STX.

• Close partnership with other Ghanaian professional associations such as the Association of Ghana Industries, Architects, Engineers, Planners, Quantity Surveyor’s, and other local professional and industry groups.

• 30,000 units to be built over a 2 year period under a special accelerated programme at a cost of about $730m as compared to the $1.5Billion offered by STX for similar quantity of units.

• Raising from local investment banks over $500million through the issuing of GREDA Housing Bonds.

• Houses will range in price from $12,000 for 1 bedroom unit to $49,000 for a 4 bedroom house, as compared to the $50,000 average build price of the STX units.

• The GREDA proposal shall create over 240,000 direct jobs and 1,200,000 indirect jobs in the Ghanaian economy engaging up to over 4,000 sub-contractors in various regions across the country over the 10- year period.

We would like to firmly support the GREDA position that Ghanaian companies can also deliver affordable housing for our people,

Many Ghanaians remember that H.E President Mills in opposition had carried a placard at a demonstration which read - “ I believe The Ghanaian Can Manage His Own Affairs”.

They wonder now if the President has had a change of mind in this belief.

We would plead with the President and the NDC to reverse the trend in Ghana under both NDC and NPP:

• Where Government is run as a series of foreign funded projects.

• Where Government policy is to find any project foreigners will fund from which they can make a cut.

• Stop equating the ability to secure foreign aid and loans as a mark of the effectiveness of government.

• Stop reducing the role of the elected President to that of a Charity Treasurer.

We would ask that they return to first principles: plan the need of the country, identify what resources we can put in and if there is still a shortfall, decide how much it can borrow, raise on the open market or bilaterally.

Above all embrace the skills and ingenuity of Ghanaian professionals as was the case in the past under a CPP government.

Ghana our beloved country deserves better.

The CPP UK & Ireland takes this opportunity to encourage the National Youth Organiser of the CPP – Mr Kwabena Bomfeh Jr , to pursue his court case against this deal and champion the cause On behalf of all Ghanaians against this obnoxious “Anti – Ghanaian “ deal.

The CPP UK & Ireland also takes this opportunity to publicly congratulate the new CPP Shadow Cabinet who we hope together with the PNC will lead a CPP/PNC alternative to both NDC and NPP.

God Bless our homeland Ghana

Signed

Nii Armah Akomfrah

Chairman

CPP UK & Ireland