We prefer interest-free loans on housing scheme — NAGRAT
The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), says its members will prefer interest-free loans for the acquisition of houses under the proposed housing scheme by the government.
According to the association, most of the members had been able to acquire lands and built up to some level and “if they are able to source soft loans they would be able to complete their buildings, especially in areas they are comfortable with”.
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The Vice President of NAGRAT, Mr Jacob Anaba, told the Daily Graphic that the acquisition of houses was something that the association had been trying to help its members accomplish before they went to retirement.
In view of that, he said, it had had a number of companies coming on board but looking at the cost with members paying through the mortage system, it had not been easy the deductions could not meet that as the system ran over their retirement.
“So it has not been easy and we have been in talks with the government and we know that it is trying but the financing has been difficult. So we believe that out of the three options the government is proposing; mortgage, rental and interest-free loan, the third option is the best,” Mr Anaba, said.
President
President Nana Akufo-Addo said last Tuesday that within the next two years, the government wanted to build about 10,000 affordable houses for teachers.
The teachers would have the opportunity to own the facilities, either through a mortgage scheme or other preferred means such as rent-to-own, he said.
The decision, according to him, was hinged on the fact that many years ago, teachers were well respected and earned decent salaries which could help them put up their own houses, but same could not be said of them today.
"This is not good enough; and the government remains committed to improving the circumstances of the teacher," President Akufo-Addo said.
Retirement
Mr Anaba said looking at members, who were had less than 10 years to go on retirement such persons could not afford the mortgage system, as some could span up to a period of between 15-20 years and majority of the association’s members who needed the facilities might not have those number of years ahead of them.
The NAGRAT Vice President indicated that the association had been supportive of any government come out with proposals for housing scheme for teachers, adding that “because we know what we go through when we go on retirement without putting up a roof over our heads”
“As for the announcement, we are happy about it. We want to support government to be able to roll it out,” he emphasised.
According to him, the association was part of a committee that had been working on the issue and since the government had come clear on what it intent was “we will also push forward our challenges and the reason why we would push for the third option”.
Explaining further, Mr Anaba said NAGRAT was not ruling the mortgage system out completely since some teachers, notably the newly-recruited ones could go for it since they had so many years ahead of them unlike those who had few years to go on retirement.
“So we would put up that proposal at the committee level and see what the government would be ready for,” he said.