Saglemi Housing project uninhabitable for flood victims - Asenso-Boakye tells Parliament
The Saglemi Affordable Housing Project is currently not habitable to accommodate the victims affected by the recent spillage of the Akosombo and Kpong dams, the former Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has told Parliament.
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He said one of the key considerations by the government in providing accommodation for people affected by the floods was to ensure that they were provided with facilities that guaranteed their access to potable water, electricity and basic sewage system.
“The Saglemi Affordable Housing project is currently not habitable. Electricity and water have not yet been extended to the site.
In addition, the site lacks basic sewage system, making it uninhabitable,” he said.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament last Tuesday, Mr Asenso-Boakye said moving the victims of the spillage to the Saglemi project was tantamount to resettlement as the government would have to move the people from their communities to a new location.
“This will require significant study of affected communities, social ties and cultural practices in order to minimise effect on their culture, livelihood and other socio-economic attributes.
It will also disrupt the education of children,” he said.
The Minister stated this when he responded to a question by the National Democratic Congress MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who asked why displaced victims of the recent VRA-induced floods had not been offered accommodation at the Saglemi Housing project.
Budget
The Minister assured the House of the government’s commitment to facilitate access to decent accommodation for the flood victims.
Accordingly, he said provisions had been made in the 2024 budget to provide support to the victims, including the provision of housing.
In preparation for government intervention, he said, his ministry had engaged Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority and a roadmap had been drawn for the provision of low-cost housing.
Rental assistance
The NDC MP for Sawla/Tuna/Kalba, Andrew Dari Chiwitey, also asked the minister to furnish the House with the list and locations of beneficiaries of the National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS).
Answering, Mr Asenso-Boakye said the NRAS was launched in January 2023 and its implementation commenced in March the same year.
He said by February 2024, the scheme had received a total of GH¢10,168 applications from Ghanaians.
Out of the applications received, he said NRAS paid rent advance for 1,646 Ghanaians, representing 16.919 per cent of the applications received from six operations regions of Greater Accra, Eastern, Western, Ashanti, Northern and Bono East.
He gave the regional breakdown as Accra and Tema 7,219 (70.99 per cent), Kumasi 1,510 (14.85 per cent), Takoradi 534 (6.23 per cent), Techiman 426 (4.1 per cent), Koforidua 291 (2.86 per cent) and Tamale 88 (0.86 per cent).
In terms of regional breakdown of the programme beneficiaries, the minister said Accra and Tema had 1,010 (61.36 per cent), Kumasi 268 (16.28 per cent), Takoradi 185 (11.24 per cent), Techiman 152 (9.23 per cent), Koforidua 21 (1.28 per cent) and Tamale 10 (0.61 per cent).
“Mr Speaker, in the spirit of transparency and accountability, I assure the House of my ministry’s commitment to provide regular update on the operations of the scheme,” he told the House.
