The State Housing Company Limited (SHCL) yesterday inaugurated the Seasons Court Annex, a 9-unit (2-3 bedroom apartment) housing facility at Adenta in Accra to help address the housing deficit of the country.The housing facility, which consists of master bedrooms, toilets, bathrooms, and kitchens, was one of the many projects undertaken by the SHCL across the country.Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Managing Director of SHCL, Mr John S.
Bawah, underscored the need to ensure that housing projects that had been abandoned were completed before the start of new projects.Participants after the commissioning ceremony Photo: Seth OsabukleThat, according to Mr Bawah, would ensure continuity of all housing projects irrespective of the government that was in power while addressing the housing deficit of the country."All expenditure that is made with taxpayers' money should bring back value to the same taxpayers.
So, if we abandon projects along the way, we are not just losing money that doesn't necessarily belong to the STCL but to the people of Ghana," Mr Bawah said."In line with President John Dramani Mahama's vision, our aim is to ensure that every single cedi that has been spent over the years on various projects and have been abandoned along the way, we intend to prioritise completing them," he added.Furthermore, Mr Bawah indicated that talks were far advanced for the reactivation of the Pokuase Housing project with the contractor to help with its pre-financing secured through the support of Mr Gilbert Adjei, the Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources.He said that "we expect anything between 3,200 and 8000 housing unit over the next few years with the STCL delivering between 1,600 and 3,200 units.'According to him, the STCL expected to have the majority of the housing projects that were being undertaken across the country to be completed within three years.Mr Bawah also noted that the STCL strategy towards the completion of the various projects it was undertaking across country was to bring on board major construction companies, both local and international, who had the financial capabilities to ensure the execution of the projects.Moreover, he remarked that STCL was ready to collaborate with local authorities, including Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), to improve road networks that were linked to the housing projects.Mr Bawah mentioned that SHCL did not have issues with land litigation as the lands were acquired either through an executive instrument and handed over to the company by the government.For his part, the Board Chairman of SHCL, Mr Ralph Roland, said that the inauguration of the housing projects was a reflection of the commitment of the company to ensure that the citizenry had access to affordable and secured housing."The Seasons Court Annex reflects the government's commitment to addressing the national housing deficit through innovative and inclusive policies that are dedicated to provide quality housing for all citizens, fostering a strong, safe, and a vibrant community," Mr Roland stated.He pointed out that the SHCL was working to ensure and secure low interest financing and flexible payment options to make home ownership attainable for the citizenry. BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY
