Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has expressed strong disapproval of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision to abandon the Saglemi Housing Project and allocate over GHc500 million to the National Cathedral project.
In a Facebook post, the former President alleged that the government abandoned the Saglemi Housing project solely because it was initiated during his administration. He stated, “Knowing the NPP government, they did not want to complete the Saglemi housing project simply because it was initiated by John Mahama and an NDC administration.”
President Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, August 1, held a sod-cutting ceremony to kickstart the construction of 8,000 units of affordable houses with support from the private sector. During the ceremony, President Akufo-Addo justified the decision to abandon the Saglemi Housing Project, stating that completing it would have resulted in increased national debt. He said, “It is unacceptable for Akufo-Addo to spend over half a billion cedis on a national cathedral project that has ultimately failed due to corruption and is now abandoned, yet refuses to commit funds to complete a housing project that will benefit thousands of Ghanaian families.”
In response to the President’s explanation, former President Mahama criticized the government, claiming that the inability to raise funds for the Saglemi housing project while allocating a significant amount to the National Cathedral is a “humiliating slap in the face of Ghanaians.” He emphasized, “Leaders must always prioritize the well-being of their citizens and ensure that they benefit from government resources and projects, regardless of who initiated them.”
“The misplaced priorities of a government that claims it is unable to raise money to complete the Saglemi housing project and yet is willing to spend half a billion cedis on the largest civil excavation in Africa is a humiliating slap in the face of Ghanaians who entrusted Akufo-Addo with their mandate,” Mahama added.
“Just think about the countless number of Ghanaian families who could have had decent living conditions over the past 7 years and the individuals who could have had a place to truly call home in Saglemi,” Mahama concluded, expressing his concern over the missed opportunities for providing affordable housing to the people of Ghana.
