President Akufo Addo has assured that the Affordable Housing Project at Effiduase in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital abandoned for over a decade will soon be completed.
According to the President, the project has been handed over to the State Housing Company to complete the project.
“Under housing, the Government of Ghana Affordable Housing Programme, which seeks to increase access to safe, secure, adequate, and affordable housing units across the country, is continuing in earnest. Thus far, one thousand, four hundred and sixty-four housing units in Borteyman, one thousand, and twenty-seven (1,027) in Asokore Mampong, and three hundred and twelve (312) housing projects have been completed in Kpone. The Koforidua, Tamale and Wa Housing Projects have been handed over to the State Housing Company Ltd for completion”. President said.
He added “Mr. Speaker, I intend to place special emphasis on resolving the problems of the housing sector in the country, because tackling the housing deficit is long overdue”
11 contractors in Koforidua to sue gov’t
Eleven (11) aggrieved contractors who were working on the government’s affordable housing project in Koforidua threatened to initiate legal action against the government for illegally abrogating their contracts.
According to the aggrieved contractors, the government has canceled their contracts without engaging them and has subsequently re-awarded the same to different contractors without paying them to work done on the projects since 2007.
The contractor is Kwality construction Investment Ltd, Josam Company Ltd, Osajoe Enterprise, Udaway Company Limited, and Okoampa Ltd.
The rest are Malkana Enterprise, Bomaf Ventures, Umaco Ltd, Soadjei Construction, Kwadjei Construction, and Agya Agyena Ltd.
The reliefs being sort by the contractors are; Payment of retention, payment of additional works after last payment certificate, compensation, damages, interest on payment, and punitive cost.
A letter of notice of intention to commence suit written to the Minister of Works and Housing, Atta Akyea, and State Housing Company, by Lawyer of the aggrieved constructors intercepted by mybrytfmonline.com, explained that about 18 contractors signed an agreement with the Ministry of Works and Housing individually on July 10, 2007, to commence work on the Affordable Housing Project in Koforidua Effiduase, an intervention by then John Agyekum Kufuor led the government to provide cost-effective housing projects to Government workers.
They were awarded contract letters dated June 8, 2007.
The aggrieved Contractors say, they embraced the project with zeal and worked to reach various stages of completion. However, due to the inability of the Ministry to supply the needed materials for the project, the same was stalled, having sunk in their resources to reach the present stage of the project.
The Contractors said, “not long ago at site meeting in Koforidua with the President of the Republic and subsequently, in another meeting with the Deputy Minister of the Ministry in Accra, my clients were given assurance to exercise patience as the Government was sourcing for funds to continue with the project, but nothing was heard on the matter again”.
The letter continued that “surprisingly, however, it has come to the notice of my clients that the project has been re-awarded to the state Housing Company without any notice or reference to my clients.”
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
