Wa, Feb. 13, GNA - Proceeds from the sale of government low cost houses as outlined in the 2004 budget statement would serve as seed money for the government's rural housing scheme.

The houses, constructed throughout the country in the early 1970's, will be revalue for sale, giving sitting tenants the first option to purchase them, Mr Kweku Agyemang Manu, a deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning said.

Mr Agyemang-Manu, who was addressing the Upper West regional forum on the 2004 budget statement at Wa on Wednesday, said proceeds from the sale of the houses would be given out as loans to interested people in the rural areas who would wish to join the rural housing scheme.

The forum was attended by about 500 people, including heads of government departments, religious leaders, political party activists, as well as students of the Wa campus of the University for development studies.

He said under the budget, a total of 1,130 bore holes would be drilled throughout the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions to provide potable water to reduce the incidence of water-borne diseases such as guinea-worm among the people.