News:
August 29, 2011
Ghana as a country will not suffer any fatal injury if the controversial STX Housing project fails to materialize, Works and Housing Minister has said.
Alban Bagbin was quick to add however, that the government stands to lose a “political mileage” if it fails to honour its promise of putting up 30,000 houses for security personnel at a cost of $1.5 billion.
He was speaking with Joy News’ Araba Koomson on the topsy-turvy STX Housing project.
The project, since its conception has been dogged with so many controversies.
It was approved by a lopsided Majority in Parliament with the Minority staging a walkout.
In January 2011, President John Mills broke the ground for what was anticipated to be a peaceful and successful execution of the project but reverse has been the case.
The Ghanaian and their Korean counterparts have been embroiled in series of boardroom squabbles with each asserting its authority.
Government in a bid to resolve the board room crisis has set up a mediation committee to see to a peaceful resolution of the problems.
Even before the committee completes its responsibility, the Works and Housing Minister Alban Bagbin said Ghanaians must not be too worried about the project.
“There is no provision in the agreement that we signed and approved by Parliament that the money must come from a particular source.”
He said government is under no obligation to disclose the source of funding for the project because it has entrusted that obligation to STX Engineering and Construction, Ghana.
Alban Bagbin said “if they fail to bring the money we don’t lose anything. The project is not implemented; we don’t lose anything as a country.”
When he was reminded that government made promises to the people of Ghana and the security personnel especially, and which must be fulfilled, the Minister answered: “That is the government and the government is different from Ghana or the state. As a government we will lose a lot of political mileage.
He pledged government’s unflinching desire to implement the project.
Source: myjoyonline.com