Accra, July 13, GNA 96 Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, on Thursday told Parliament that works on the Keta Sea Defence Resettlement Programme were in progress. It involves the construction of 836 houses of various types while other works include the provision of infrastructural facilities like electricity, which is about 90 per cent complete, while water supply extension from Keta to the resettlement sites was about 90 per cent complete.

The sewerage system is also about 65 per cent complete. Mr Baah-Wiredu, who was presenting a Supplementary Budget statement to the House seeking its approval of A24,208.3 billion said since the project began 180 houses had been completed and as at April 2006 the houses had been allocated and occupied.

At present there are 262 houses on contract and are at various stages of completion. On the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project (KLERP) Mr Baah-Wiredu said work on the key components of the project such as the waste water treatment plant and the new sea outfall pipe were about 95 per cent complete.

The final cleaning up of the lower and upper lagoon, the Kaneshie, Odaw, Korle and Agbogbloshie canals and the removal of the mangrove island, in order to bring the KLERP to a successful completion is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2006, during which a fair sea weather condition is expected to prevail.

He said the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing had secured 18.8 million Pounds Sterling from the KBC Bank N.V. of Belgium, for the re-dredging of the lagoon, canals and allied works. Mr Baah-Wiredu said at present 100 per cent of work on the Tamale Storm Water Drainage Project (TSWDP) covering about 14 kilometres of storm water drains of various sizes in reinforced concrete had been completed to control flooding and improve sanitation in the Tamale Metropolis, with particular reference to the Central Business District and was in the defects liability period, which would lapse in August 2006.

The next phase of the programme involves the improvement of the terminal sections of the primary drains through re-grading, deepening and widening to forestall further flooding of properties within the immediate environs. 13 July 06