Mr. Dominic Nitiwul, Defense Minister-nominee is in support of a suggestion that the controversial Saglemi Housing project is converted into barracks for army personnel.
Responding to a question on the location of Burma Camp in a civilian area during his vetting, Mr. Nitiwul said it would be prudent to take advantage of the housing project as the country thinks about moving on from Burma Camp in the long term.
He feels the army “will be very happy to be given that particular facility if it is completed.”
“As a first step, we should look at handing over the Saglemi Hosing project completely after the legal issues have been addressed to the armed forces to occupy, and they will take it from there.”
“We can develop it into a real barrack and take a decision as a country on what happens to Burma Camp,” the nominee said.
The first phase of the Saglemi housing project has 1,500 housing units and was commissioned by John Mahama in 2016 but has been left unused.
The project, which was intended to reduce the country’s massive housing deficit is seated on a 300-acre land with one to three-bedroom apartments for low-income earners.
The $180 million project was for 5,000 housing projects.
In general, Mr. Nitiwul noted that improving accommodation for army personnel was a priority for him.
He wants to make sure “all members of the armed forces are in the barracks, so we can make sure there is discipline and morale within the armed forces”.
“It is very important for us that as far as you are a serving soldier, you should be in the barracks and not a rented apartment or even your house outside the barracks.”
