Accra, June 21, GNA - Tenants of Switchback Road Flats in Cantonment s, have expressed concern about the 11-day ultimatum given to them by the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, to relocate to their new apartments at Dunkonah near Weija in the Ga South Municipality. A signed petition to the Ministry, copied to Ghana News Agency on Monday said; "This 11-day ultimatum notice to relocate us is grossly disrespectful to any citizen much more senior civil servants who have sacrificed and are still serving this nation".

They said the letters written on June 17, were delivered to them on June 19 stressing that "recipients should relocate by June 30 which we th ink is highly unfair and unreasonable". It said; "The decision is unfair to the tenants with their children attending schools around the vicinity, and schools are in the middle of t he academic year which makes it difficult to get schools for our children at

the new area". "Almost all the occupants of these flats work around the ministries,

and relocating to Dunkonah would pose a big challenge to us with regard t o transportation, traffic and the effect on our productivity". They complained about reports that the Dunkonah re-location site had

radon a carcinogen gas which had cumulative effect on those who reside in

buildings at such locations therefore; SSNIT workers who were originally located to the area rejected the offer. "We are also informed that it is the vicinity of Dunkonah that mass burials of unclaimed bodies are dumped for which reason public health officials have raised concerns," they said. However, they contended that they welcomed the idea of re-developmen t in the area, but deemed it right for the Ministry to have consulted them since most of them had lived in the area for more than 15 years and therefore became part of the area. The petition said senior civil servants in similar flats had the opportunity to purchase them such as Kanda and Nyaniba Estates as well as

the CMB Flats in Kaneshie," why cannot we also be given the same opportun ity to purchase our flats," they asked. They suggested that the Ministry should resort to the original plan of infilling as was done with the Roman Ridge Flats. Before the petition was issued, the management of Social Security an d National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) earlier on Monday, handed over keys to t he GH¢1,910,000 Housing Project at Dunkonah to the government. The two-storey accommodation of 42 three-bedroom apartments handed o ver to the Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing would accommodate 42

families being relocated from Switchback road at Cantonments in Accra. Dr Frank Odoom, Director-General of SSNIT, handing over the keys, explained that management purchased the land at Switchback road to be developed into residential as well as for commercial activities and therefore had to relocate the occupants. He noted that realising potentials in the area and inappropriateness of combining the old flats with the new concept of housing, decided to reloc ate them and ensure they were provided with decent accommodation. Mr Alban Sumana K. Bagbin, the sector Minister, receiving the keys, said government was reviewing the National Housing Policy to make it more

relevant to the housing needs of low income earners.