New Effia Low Cost Association commends government

Takoradi, Feb. 10, GNA - Members of New Effia Low Cost Houses Residents Association have lauded government's decision in this year's budget statement to sell low cost houses to the sitting occupants.

At a general meeting of the association at Anaji, near Takoradi last Sunday, the residents noted that the sale of the houses was long overdue because most of the houses had deteriorated due to lack of maintenance since the houses were built about 30 years ago.

The residents said by its pronouncement, the government had demonstrated its avowed intention to ensure that Ghanaian workers get somewhere to lay their heads after retiring from active government service.

They urged the government to ensure that officials of the Ministry of Works and Housing expedite action on the directive and come out with the cost of the houses and mode of payment without any further delay. The residents recollected that the National Democratic Congress government attempted to sell the houses to the occupants but some district chief executives, regional ministers and some civil servants kicked against the sale and hoped that this time round such sabotage would not be entertained.

The residents argued that the sale of the houses would enable the occupants to rehabilitate the facility at no cost to the government. The residents suggested that since majority of workers were "Suffering " in the hands of "Shylock landlords", government should not hesitate to use the money that would accrue from the sale of the houses to put up more units for other workers to own them under a crash-housing programme.