Funds Released for Housing Projects(back page) March 1, 2008

Story: Michael Donkor, Kpone
THE Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing has paid an additional GH¢2.5 million to contractors working on the government’s housing projects to facilitate the speedy completion of work on them.
The sector Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, announced this when he conducted journalists round the project sites at Kpone and Borteyman, near Accra, on Thursday.
Lack of fund is said to be affecting the pace of work on the projects at Kpone and Borteyman.
The situation has, therefore, raised doubts as to whether the completion date of the first phase of the project, which has been changed from June to November this year, can be met.
Alhaji Boniface said with the release of the money, the completion target for the first phase by November this year would be met.
When journalists accompanying the minister got to the project site, some workers were seen laying blocks, while others were mixing concrete.
Some of the buildings at the site have reached completion point, while others were at the lintel and foundation levels.
It was also observed that about 20 structures were fully plastered and half painted.
The road network had been clearly demarcated but the roads had not been tarred and looked too narrow to make it possible for two vehicles to pass each other at a time.
Alhaji Boniface said the government had so far spent GH¢400 million on the project, adding that there was the need for another GH¢108 million to be made available for the completion of the entire project.
According to him, the project was being financed from the HIPC fund, hence the delay in the release of funds.
He said to address the delay in the execution of work, the government had decided to source for money outside the HIPC fund to speed up work on it.
Late last year, Alhaji Boniface told the Daily Graphic that 4,500 affordable housing units would be ready for occupancy in June this year.
According to him, the bed sitter, single and two-bedroom apartments which were situated at Borteyman and Kpone in Accra and Asokore Mampong in the Ashanti Region would either be given out for rent or outright sale to Ghanaians, particularly public servants.
Some of the contractors on site told the Daily Graphic that the delay in the release of funds was the major hindrance to the progress of work on the project.
According to them, as and when funds were released, they were ready to continue with the work.
The sod was cut on September 1, 2005 to mark the commencement of the multi-million dollar affordable housing project at Borteyman and other parts of the country, including Kumasi in the Ashanti Region and Tamale in the Northern Region.
The minister later visited the Kpong Water Treatment Plant to acquaint himself with the state of the plant.
He said the government was going to evaluate and assess the performance of Aqua Vitens Rand Limited (AVRL) to see if the company had delivered according to the contract agreement.
He explained that the rationing of water for residents of Accra and Tema, as well as their environs, was the result of rapid population growth.
Alhaji Boniface said the government was sourcing for funds to enable it to increase the capacity of the reservoirs and the treatment plant to meet the increasing demand of the people.