I'll ensure implementation of GARID project — Works and Housing Deputy Minister designate
"I am going to work with my minister to ensure the full implementation of the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project (GARID), the Deputy Minister designate for Works and Housing, Dr Prince Hamid Armah, has assured.
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He said the project was a good one which, when implemented, would address the perennial flooding in Greater Accra.
He was responding to question on the state of the project following Parliament approval of $200 million in 2019, when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament last Monday.
In 2019, $200 million from the World Bank was approved by Parliament for the implementation of the project in Accra.
Dr Armah, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Kwesimintsim Constituency in the western Region, said the project had about five components and part of the funds for fifth component was used to support the COVID-19 Recovery Programme and as a result of that additional funding had become necessary and also highlighted the distinctive feature of the project which enabled the local assemblies to work together.
Dr Armah said the GARID project was targeted towards floor resilience and when completed would be value for money.
However, he asserted that the project did not factor in compensation for those who would be affected.
"I also understand from my reading that the project did not take account of compensation and so compensation has also been taken account of in relation to the additional funding," he said.
To ensure that we minimise floods in Accra with the approach of the rains, he said several interventions were ongoing and that some of the problem had to do with where waste materials were deposited and "so one of the intervention is to be able to get a service point that is closer so that people or those who collect wastes can dump them.
"I think that if we are able to properly and effectively implement the GARID project, we would be able to reduce to the barest minimum, the flooding situation In Accra," indicating that $150 million would be needed to make the project viable.
Regulatory
The works and housing deputy minister designate also said there was serious regulatory weakness which had to be looked at and that part of the requirements from the assembly must include their insistence on the contractor/whoever was undertaking a project to show certified documents by architect registration council or a certified engineer as part of the requirements.
If we can make it that way, then we can make it unattractive for individuals to engage the services of unqualified architects and engineers," he said.
He said if the country was able to invest more in rural housing research, it would be beneficial to the state and that it was something he would make a strong case for to the minister.
On what advice he would give to the minister in respect of the Saglemi Housing Project, going forward, Dr Armah said the state had already invested so much money in the project and “I think it is important that we bring the original intent of the project to fruition.”
Education
Regarding the education of Ghanaians not to build in flood prone areas, Dr Armah said apart from regulatory failure, there were behavioural and attitudinal issues as well.
"I think that we need public education and behavioural change programmes to do that and I would support the ministry in that regard," he said.
Government must take interest in affordable housing.
The revised affordable housing programme came with a public private partnership arrangement as government provided the land, horizontal facilities and a set of a ceiling on how much the houses constructed could be sold.
He said the initiative, with the involvement of the private sector in the provision of affordable housing, would be strengthened in the next eight to 10 months.
