Sekondi, June 2,-GNA-The government has decided that the Cocoa farmers housing scheme will be extended to 66 cocoa districts in Ghana.

The scheme was initially targeted at cocoa farmers in Western region alone. It was meant to offer cocoa farmers affordable housing and improve their living conditions.

Mr. Madison Mahamadu Lansah, Director of the Department of Rural Housing under the Ministry of Works and Housing disclosed this at the Regional Coordinating Council Meeting (RCC) held at Sekondi over the weekend.

He said though the original plan had changed, the focus was still on cocoa farmers.

He commended Mr. Joseph B. Aidoo, former Western Regional Winister for initiating the scheme to alleviate the poverty of cocoa farmers. He said presently each room contains four bedrooms, a kitchen, washrooms and rain harvest facilities. Mr. Lansah said, the use of bricks, clay tiles and other natural building materials were meant to make the houses affordable, environmentally friendly and create local employment. He said each house would cost between 127 and 138 million cedis, which was re-payable in 10 years. Mr. Lansah said the cocoa board; Rural Department and the Agricultural Development bank (ADB) were negotiating on the mode and terms of payment.

He said Afransie would have four houses while Yamatwa and Enchi would get three houses each. Mr. Amoah, Western Regional Minister said the technology should be made readily available for all civil and public servants, teachers and all Ghanaian workers to adopt and own houses of their own.