Editorial
Good news as Saglemi Affordable Housing Project bounces back soon
Due to Ghana’s acute housing crisis, a sizable section of the population cannot afford formal, adequate housing.
For instance, in Accra, where more than half of the population lives in urban areas, rental costs are exorbitant, with one-bedroom apartments typically costing GH₵4,000 a month.
These high costs make decent housing unaffordable for low-to-middle income earners forcing many to rely on sub-standard, overcrowded, or informal settlements, and a reliance on advance rent payments, often 1 – 2 years, despite legal limits.
These crises affect those in both rural and urban areas as they face shortages in basic amenities like water, electricity, and proper sanitation.
It is therefore a refreshing news that the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project which has remained stalled for several years, will bounce back soon. This was announced by the Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, at the Presidency on Wednesday in Accra when he took his turn at the Government Accountability Series.
The Saglemi Affordable Housing Project is a US$200 million public housing project located in Prampram in the Ningo Prampram District in the Greater Accra Region, which was initiated by the John Mahama Administration in 2012 to build 5,000 housing units, to ease accommodation deficit in Ghana, particularly within the Greater Accra Region.
The Minister revealed that his outfit has chosen a developer to finish the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, and he assured that the ministry has intensified and concluded its engagement with the developer and is awaiting guidance from the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice regarding the start of work on the project that has stalled.
The Spectator is of the hope that as promised by the Minister the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project and others would be completed soon after documents are finalised to ease the pressure of housing problems on Ghanaians.
We hope that the State Housing Company Limited will continue its work on key projects such as the Surge Homes development at Amrahia and the SHC Gardens projects which are at 68 and 70 percent complete respectively.
It is also worth noting that besides the above projects the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) is spreading its tentacles to other regions with its first out-of-Accra project in Ho and other regions set to be explored.
The authorities should be mindful of the distribution process to the Ghanaian workers to ensure fair treatment to all, especially the average Ghanaian who wants to make an effort to own a house.
We strongly believe that the completion of these projects will meet the housing needs of the average working Ghanaians and positively impact their lives.
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Dear Editor,
It is often said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. However, this saying becomes worrying when the health of citizens is threatened by the conditions under which the food they consume daily is sold.
In Ghana, the conditions under which food is sold is quite disturbing. Over the years, I have observed that the environments where food is prepared and sold are often unhygienic.
In many cases, containers holding food such as rice and waakye are left uncovered or not properly covered, exposing them to contamination.
While many Ghanaians paid little attention in the past to the conditions under which food was sold, the narrative seems to be changing in recent years.
I recall an incident during my days in Senior High School (S.H.S.) when my friends and I went out to buy food. At one location, some of us chose not to buy because we assumed the food would be expensive due to how neat the place looked.
Unfortunately, we ended up purchasing food from a different place that was somewhat unhygienic. We overlooked the poor conditions because we believed the quantity offered was better than at the cleaner location.
However, I am certain that my friends and I would not repeat such a mistake today, as we now understand the health implications of that decision.
While public education is important in addressing this issue, I believe it is time for regulatory and law enforcement agencies, such as the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), to crack the whip on food sellers and vendors who operate in unhygienic environments and conditions.
As citizens, we must also be mindful of where we buy our food to protect ourselves and our families from diseases and illnesses. We should choose ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’ and prioritize our health.
From Syram
Oyarifa
Dear Editor,
I write to express concern and call for improved security measures before and after every football match.
The recent robbery attack that led to the tragic death of a player, on their return from a Match day 29 game against Samartex, is both shocking and heartbreaking.
The incident, which reportedly occurred around 10:30 p.m., highlights the growing risks faced by players and team officials while traveling.
Football is meant to unite and entertain, not to expose lives to danger. It is therefore imperative that authorities, the Ghana Football Association, and security agencies put in place adequate protection for teams, especially during late-night travels.
I strongly urge all stakeholders to treat this matter with urgency to prevent such unfortunate incidents from recurring.
From Eugene Ampiaw
Accra
