Housing Minister inspects police housing project, 2 others

The Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, yesterday inspected work on three housing facilities for public sector workers to update himself on the progress of work. 

They are the redevelopment of two government bungalows at two separate sites at Airport Residential Area and the housing project at the Police Training School in Accra. 

There are 68 housing units, comprising eight two bedroom and 60 three-bedroom units being re-developed  in the Airport Residential Area for civil servants. 

With 60 percent of work done so far, the first phase of the projects is expected to be completed in March next year.

When completed, the police housing facility, which is the third phase of the Security Services Housing project, would house 320 families across 20 residential buildings 16 of which are under construction.

The facilities are four-storey structures containing 120 two-bedroom units and the remainder being three-bedroom-units.

The facilities together also have a community centre, a kindergarten, a playground for kids, a football field and a tennis court.

At 65 per cent complete, the project which started in Match 2019 is expected to be handed over by end of 2022. 

Speaking with the media after the project site tour, Mr Asenso-Boakye said he was satisfied with the progress of work done so far. 

He said though that might notsignificantly reduce Ghana’s estimated two-million housing deficit, it would go a long way to give the police a reprieve as they would have a decent accommodation to live in with their families. 

“It is not going to change the situation drastically but it is a step forward. As far as the security services are concerned and the police in particular, this is a major progress because it is going to increase accommodation for our men and women in the police service,” he said. 

 Asenso-Boakye, who is also the MP for Bantana, saidthe government was looking at the possibility of rolling out other programmes “to reduce the huge housing deficit and very soon you will be hearing from me regarding a new affordable housing programme.” 

Plans, he said, were advanced to replicate the police housing project in other parts of the country and “that will happen soon”.

Being funded by the government of Ghana at the cost of US$46 million, the police accommodation project is being executed by Amandi Constructions Limited.

BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI