Accra, Nov.22 -Mr Samuel
Atta-Akyea, Minister of Works and Housing has revealed that government has put
together a roadmap to provide permanent infrastructure solution to the
perennial flooding in Accra.
He explained that because the
capital expenditure for the provision of the drainage and sewage to fix the
recurring floods are beyond the national budget there is the need to seek
outside help to address the problem.
Mr Atta-Akyea made the revelation
on the second day of debate on the 2018 budget statement in Parliament.
Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of
Finance on November 15, 2017, presented the government’s 2018 Budget Statement
and Economic Policy to Parliament.
The budget highlighted results
from the government’s policy programmes over the past few months, and announced
the government’s planned developmental programs for the next fiscal year.
Among the major programs to be
rolled out by the government in 2018, are proposed 13 percent reduction in
electricity tariff for residential consumers, the establishment of
nation-building corps and operationalisation of the special prosecutors’
office.
Mr Atta-Akyea also stated that
the perennial flooding situation in the capital over the years has become an
embarrassment to the country.
He stated a lot investors have
shown interest by investing in the housing sector of the country.
He however stated that government
was considering using the Pension Fund to build houses for workers, after which
they would be given mortgage to pay for the houses.
Mr Emmanuel Kwesi Bedzra, Ranking
Member on Works and Housing in his contribution chastised the NPP government
for reducing the budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Works and Housing in
the 2018 budget.
He said if the government want
the economy to grow and create jobs as they claim then they must invest in
infrastructure.
He cited for example that
government in the 2018 budget has allocated GHc1.9 billion for government
machinery and only Ghc1.3 billion for infrastructure, and noted that government
was not serious about creating jobs for the people.
Mr Bedzra also stated that most
housing projects which were completed in 2017 were a result of the 2016 budget
allocations under the NDC administration and that the NPP government has not
done any new projects.
He said most of the projects such
as the sea defence wall along the country’s coast were initiated by NDC under
the 2016 budget was the only project that was carried out and nothing was added
in the 2017 budget.
He said even in the 2018 budget
the government is still not adding any new project but would only be completing
what was started in 2016.
Mr Bedzra also stated that when
it comes to educational infrastructure the NPP government did not added
anything to existing structures in the 2017 budget but would only be completing
the school infrastructure projects initiated by the President Mahama
administration.
He therefore questioned the NPP’s
mantra of “Putting Ghana back to work” as a flop which they have failed to
achieve.
GNA
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