The former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a flagbearer hopeful, Kwabena Agyapong, has expressed his concern over the haste with which successive governments invest in new developmental projects whereas similar ones are left to rot away.

His comments come in reaction to the government’s recent Affordable Housing Project in Pokuase.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on August 1, 2023, cut sod for the commencement of a new affordable housing project in Pokuase, a suburban community in the Greater Accra Region.

The flagbearer hopeful who also is a civil engineer, bemoaned this haste and highlighted the importance of maintenance and the development of existing infrastructure.

He argued that institutions such as the State Housing Corporation must look at redeveloping these housing facilities and if possible, make them vertical to accommodate more people.

“We love new projects in this country. I don’t know whether is the procurement opportunities that it provides. We don’t have a culture of maintenance. Have we maintained, are we mentioning it well?”

“You go around the country; you see a lot of houses in very poor states. They belong to the State Housing Corporation and even perhaps the optimisation of real estate. Maybe they have to be demolished and the new ones, we have to go vertical,” he said.

Kwabena Agyapong, again suggested that the government should task professionals such as architects, engineers, planners, and surveyors to redevelop the inner city and its surrounding towns.

“I do believe that in the Central Business District (CBD) where most of the businesses in this Accra, the capital, happen, people are travelling too far away. We can redevelop the inner city, the areas around Nima, New Town, Adabraka, and Osu, there are a lot of gaps that government can take a critical look at.

“Task the architects, the engineers, the planners, the surveyors, put them to work. Let them provide you with a solution, they can. They have the mental capacity to do so,” he continued.

Referring to the Saglemi and Pokuase housing projects, Kwabena Agyapong, questioned the decision to place these developments in a remote location away from the capital.

“On whose advice was Saglemi placed where it is? 5000 units in the middle of nowhere. You only do that when you have targeted some economic activity there.

“Pokuase is reasonably far from Accra, so you are going to get people commuting again and the traffic,” he remarked.

He continued “So, it is something I worry about when there is a lot is space in Accra”.

NW/WA

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