By Iddi Yire
Accra, March 14, GNA – Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, the Volta Regional Minister, has updated Parliament on the ongoing housing projects for tidal waves victims in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region.
He said on November 6 and 7, 2021, 200 households comprising 1,096 individuals (227 adult male, 287 adult female, 281 and 301 boys and girls below 18 years respectively) were severely affected by tidal waves in the Ketu South Municipality.
In response, the Ketu South Municipal Assembly sought to undertake a relocation of 115 households in the Salakope, Amutinu, and Agavedzi communities, which were worst affected.
Dr Letsa said this when he appeared before Parliament on Tuesday to answer a question from Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu South on the plans in place to provide shelter for the tidal waves victims.
Mr Letsa said the scope of the project was to construct two-bedroom apartments, extend utility services (water, electricity, road), and drainage works at a new site.
He said the total cost of the project was estimated at GH¢25 million and that the Municipal Assembly was to seek support from Government and Non-Governmental institutions to finance it.
Touching on the status of the project, the Minister said land had been allocated by the chiefs of Agavedzi, Amutinu and Salakope communities for the apartments.
The land had been surveyed and demarcated into various plots and servicing of the land with water, electricity, and road had been done, he said.
The Assembly had submitted proposals to various institutions for financial support; some of which were the National Lottery Authority, Ghana Gas Company Limited, Tullow Oil, Bui Power Authority, and the Ministry of Housing.
The Minister said the Ghana Gas Company had offered to construct 15 of the two-bedroom housing units for a start, which saw the actual construction works beginning in 2022.
Of the ongoing 15-units, Dr Letsa said 10 were at the roofing level with the other five being at the substructure level.
Electricity and water had been extended to the site, and access to the site had been completed.
He disclosed that initial land litigation by some families delayed the take off of the project whereas the long and heavy wet season delayed the movement of equipment to the site.
The Ketu South Municipal Assembly had embarked on continuous stakeholder engagements for the necessary updates and would followup with its appeals to the Government and non-governmental agencies to help fund the project, the minister added.
GNA