A family friend of the Rawlingses says he funded the renovation of the current residence of former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings. Mrs Rawlings moved in to the edifice, belonging to her mother, after an inferno gutted her Ridge residence - which she shared with Mr Jerry Rawlings - on February 14. Herbert Mensah declined to state the exact cost of the refurbishment but said a bill has been sent to government for reimbursement. The former football administrator made the revelation on Joy FM's news analysis programme, News File, on Saturday. "The entire cost of [the renovation] of that house is footed by myself and a couple of others," he told Kwaku Sakyi-Addo, host of the programme. "We went in there, we put water tanks, we put a number of things. We had a pre-agreement as to how or what may be the assistance we may receive from government. We received a little bit but we have not received all." Mr Mensah's revelation comes amid speculation that the cost of fixing up the edifice was fully borne by the state. The issue of housing for the former First Family generated headlines again following Mrs Rawlings' interview with Joy FM in which she revealed she was looking for an apartment to rent, three months after her residence was razed down. Government is said to have offered the former First Family a couple of homes at the AU Village but they declined the offer citing security. The leadership of the ruling National Democratic Congress met with the president, John Mills, over the issue. Some 20 functional executive committee members of the NDC, including the general secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia and a vice chairman Dr. Ekow Spio Garbrah, discussed the issue with a seven-member government delegation. Kufuor factor The latest developments resurrected issues surrounding accommodation for former President John Kufuor who was asked out of an office complex secured for himself when he was leaving office. Mr Frank Agyekum, spokesperson for Mr Kufuor told Joy FM on Friday a new "residential accommodation" had been given to the former president but the structure needed renovation to turn it into an office facility. The Mills administration has had to deal with accommodation matters for ex-officials since it assumed power 19 months ago. However, government has assured proper resettlement of, especially, the former presidents to lay to rest the current debate on accommodation roiling the landscape. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana