General News of Thursday, 14 December 2017
Source: citifmonline.com
2017-12-14
One of the affordable housing units at Kpone in the Kpone Katamanso District
Over 1,500 so-called affordable housing units that were started under former President John Kufuor, are wasting away at Kpone in the Kpone Katamanso District of the Greater Accra Region.
The housing project, which comprises 1,524 housing units commenced in 2006, but remains uncompleted.
Sod-cutting for the commencement of the abandoned project, was done by then Works and Housing Minister, Hackman Owusu Agyemang.
When Citi News’ visited the project site, it was that that most of the buildings have been taken over by weeds with no activity, as reptiles moved freely in the apartments intended to house to Ghanaians in need of a comfortable place of abode.
The iron rods in the beams and pillars were exposed and fast deteriorating, whilst wooden panels and frames were rotten.
Some of the housing units that looked almost completed, had some cracks in them with their mosquito nets looking worn out.
The project site have been covered by bushes thick enough to serve as a safe haven for criminals.
Termites had begun feasting on hundreds of door and window frames packed in some of the rooms.
The buildings are three-storey flats including one and two bedrooms, abandoned at lintel level, awaiting roofing, plastering, and other finishing touches.
Affordable Housing projects
As part of efforts to address Ghana’s housing deficit which was about 500,000 in 2006, former President Kufuor initiated the Kpone affordable housing project as well as others in the Kumasi and Borteman in the Greater Accra Region, at a cost of over $300 million funded by the Government of Ghana.
The project consultant then, Ernest Biney, promised that the project will be completed in 2007.
The current state of the structures, will demand extensive works to make it usable.
