The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has promised to review the contract of the Saglemi Housing Project awarded to Quarm-LMI.
Mahama believes the project that started under his erstwhile government should not be leased out to any company for change inj status without consulting the allodial landowners (traditional authorities of Ningo-Prampram).
The NDC under John Mahama started the project to ease the accommodation deficit in Accra. It was funded by Credit Suisse after Parliament approved the facility agreement and granted it on October 13, 2012, in line with Article 181(1) of the constitution. The facility agreement was for $200 million to fund the construction of a 5,000 housing units.
However, the project stalled when the New Patriotic Party came into governance in 2017. The then minister of Housing under the Nana Addo led government, Hon.Samuel Atta Akyea revealed that the project inflated and funds embezzled by the NDC.
The NPP government abandoned the project and subsequently terminated the contract in 2019. Asenso Boakye the next minister of Housing after Atta Akyea said “we’re allowing for a private sector developer to take up the initiative to build and sell the housing unit”.
Kojo Oppong Nkurumah now the minister of Works and Housing has awarded the project to a private developer Quarm-LMI to complete.
Base on this Mahama revealed during his Greater Accra campaign in Prampram that his next government will address the challenges confronting the people of the constituency including reviewing the contract of the Saglami housing project.
“It was NDC that started the Saglami housing project. We consulted the people of Ningo-Prampram before we started that project. After we left, this government has abandoned it. Recently, I heard they want to give it to private people.
“But the point I am making to them is that if you are changing the status of that project from a government project to a private project, you need to discuss with the allodial owners of the land.
“And so, I know they haven’t done that discussion. You cannot alienate that land by handing that project to a private company without permission and discussion and negotiation with the allodial owners, who are the Ningo people. And so when we come, we are going to review whatever you are [the government is] doing there” Mahama said.