Deputy minister-designate for Works and Housing, Dr. Prince Hamidu Armah, has revealed the government’s intentions of partnering with the private sector in the completion of the abandoned Saglemi Housing project.
Dr. Armah highlighted the importance of finishing the project, considering the significant investment already made by the state.
He said the government has established a technical committee to expedite the completion of the housing project during his appearance before Parliament’s Appointments Committee for vetting.
“The state has already invested so much money in Saglemi, and I think that it is important that we bring the original intent of the project to fruition.
I understand that the ministry has already constituted a technical working committee to look at private sector participation in offloading the project and to ensure that the project is completed for it to be used,” Dr. Armah said.
The Saglemi Housing project was initiated in 2012 under the erstwhile John Dramani Mahama government for the delivery of 5,000 housing units at a total cost of US$200 million under an Engineering-Procurement-Contracting (EPC) Agreement with Messrs Construtora OAS Ghana Limited.
According to the government, by the end of the stipulated project execution period in 2016, only 1,506 out of the planned 5,000 housing units had been initiated and approximately US$196 million, representing 98% of total project funds, had been expended.