The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned interested private developers that they will take back the Saglemi Housing project from them when they come back to power.
The ranking member of the Works and Housing committee of parliament, Vincent Oppong Asamoah, said any private developer who acquires the project when the NPP government puts it up for auction would only have it for a short while before a new NDC government seizes it from them.
“We the minority are stating our position very clearly that we wouldn’t want any private developer to come in at all. In 2025 we are very confident that the NDC will form the next government, so any private developer that will partner the government to complete this project, project will be taken from them because it should remain affordable and the mortgage system.” he said.
On November 13, 2022, the minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso Boakye, revealed that the government has decided to wash its hands off the Saglemi housing project to allow a private developer refurbish the housing units and sell them to potential owners.
“After a painstaking period of assessment, verification and consultations, Government has decided to – Explore the possibility of selling the Saglemi Housing Project, covering the 1,506 housing units, at the current value to a private sector entity to complete and sell the housing units to the public, at no further cost to the State,” he said.
He, however, revealed that the proceeds will be reinvested into the sector.
“The proceeds from this sale will come to the State and be reinvested into other affordable housing projects,” he added.
The Saglemi housing project was started in 2012 under the NDC government to build 5000 housing units at affordable prices.
The project was meant to give Ghanaians affordable housing in a bid to bridge the housing deficit in the country.
However, the minority is against this development stating that they will resist any attempt by government to profit from poor taxpayers unduly as the government has not explained why the project should not be given to public or civil service but instead of some faceless people.
Source: theGhanaianVoice.Com