[ 2012-05-09 ]

Government, GREDA to deepen ties
The Managing Director of the State Housing
Company, Mark Ankrah, has ruled out any deliberate
attempts by government to ignore members of the
Ghana Real Estate Development Association (GREDA)
in the award and execution of public works.

He said the challenge lies with individual members
of the Association to improve upon their skills
and efficiencies to merit the award of huge public
works such as housing schemes.

Earlier this week, members of GREDA renewed
attacks on government accusing it of deliberately
sidelining local real estate developers in the
execution of government’s housing projects.

Their attacks came on the heels of the signing of
a new housing deal between government and a South
African construction firm, GUMA group over the
weekend for the construction of 500 housing units
for Police and Military personnel after the STX
housing deal was aborted earlier this year.

Speaking on pm: EXPRESS, a current affairs
discussion programme on Joy News Television, Mr.
Ankrah who is also a member of the Housing
Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources,
Works and Housing said government is convinced
using GREDA to execute public construction will be
in the country’s interest but said not all members
of GREDA have the ability to take on bigger
tasks.

“I think that if GREDA presents a credible
proposal to government, I’m very confident that
government will look at it favorably. We have been
talking about local content. It is very important
that in trying to find solutions to housing, we do
not lose sight of the job creation component which
is key”, he said.

He indicated government is reviewing a number of
proposals from government and was hopeful due
consideration would be given to them.

A member of the Housing Projects Management
Committee of the same Ministry, Dr. Camynta Baezie
said in the process of finding a suitable company
to undertake the 500 housing project, government
engaged GREDA extensively on several aspects of
the project and that it was untrue they were
side-stepped.

But GREDA President, Dr. Alex Tweneboah insisted
his organization has not been treated fairly by
successive governments.

He said though GREDA has existed for 23 years, the
country’s housing deficit continuous to grow.

GREDA, he said, has some 15,000 housing units at
various locations to its credit, “an ample
testimony it has the capacity to deliver”.

Source - Joy News Television

... go Back