<<Print>>

The opposition New Patriotic Party has expressed disappointment with government�s decision to go to the GUMA group of South Africa to provide 500 affordable housing units in Ghana. The ruling National Democratic Congress decided to turn to the GUMA group after it bid to have STX company limited to build some housing units in the country failed. But the NPP says the emergence of GUMA group at the expense of local companies that could oversee the project is a big surprise to the people of Ghana. In a statement by the Communications Director of the NPP, Nana Akomea, he said �With the failure of the STX, all have hoped Ghanaian estate developers will be at the centre of governmental partnership and support in the delivery of affordable housing. It is therefore with great sadness that we learn government has embarked on yet another partnership with and support for a foreign company, GUMA of South Africa, to deliver 500 affordable housing units�. He added �Ghanaian estate developers are once again sidelined. Their proposal on partnership and support with government has not been responded to since 2010�. The NPP also noted that Between 2006 and 2008, the government of the day partnered Ghanaian estate developers to deliver to near completion 4,700 units of affordable housing in Borteyman- Nungua, Asorkore- Mampong, Kpone, Koforidua and Tamale. Nana Akomea added that the resort to partnership with a South African company is therefore a slap in the face of capable Ghanaian industry and expertise. �This resort to support and partnership with foreigners is not only detrimental to Ghanaian industry and enterprise, but also has many adverse national effects such as repatriation of profits and attendant weakening of our currency�. According to the NPP, the Mills-Mahama government must rethink housing and focus on local expertise in building housing units in Ghana. �NPP strongly urges the government to reconsider its housing development strategy to focus on taping the local expertise and capacity that Ghanaian estate developers possess�. NPP lacks the moral right to accuse government - E.T. Mensah Meanwhile, the Minister of Works and Housing, E.T Mensah has lashed out at the NPP saying they have "no moral right" to advise government on who to consult to build housing units in the country. According to him, the NPP is the only government in the history of Ghana that failed to build proper housing units during its tenure. Speaking to XYZ News on Tuesday evening, the minister indicated that the Kufuor-led administration comes nowhere close to the achievements of past government's in terms of the provision of housing units for Ghanaians. He said apart from the Nkrumah government, the NDC comes second with the Acheampong administration following closely in the order of governments which have seen to the provision of affordable houses. He described the NPP's assertion that it almost completed about 4,000 housing units before leaving office in 2008 as a "palpable falsehood", explaining that all the buildings were only midway through when the NDC took over the reigns of government in 2008.