Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, the out-going minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, has categorically denied the charge that government is being discriminatory in its national development agenda. In denying the charge against the government for discriminating against the people in northern Ghana in terms of the fair distribution of development projects, he explained that the NPP government has no intention of being negatively partial in the allocation of national resources. The minister made this pronouncement at a sod cutting ceremony to begin the construction of a 1,000 unit flat affordable housing project at Wa in the Upper West Region. The GH¢ 25 million (¢250 billion) housing project comprise a single to three bedroom flats with modern amenities such as clinic, market and a police post. According to Mr Owusu-Agyemang, the Kufuor administration does not believe in inequality in allocating the national cake but does it equitably and equally among all communities with the available funds. He went further and promised that every community in the country will have the privilege to benefit from all development projects without any preference from any part of the country. He cited the construction of the Wa-Bole-Bamboi road, the proposed construction of Wa water system, which is currently at the designing stage, and other projects in the north as examples of the government's effort to spread developmental projects all over Ghana fairly. The out-going Upper West Regional Minister, Ambrose Dery, noted that the accusation of bias against the region leveled against the NPP administration is baseless, citing the provision of the affordable housing scheme as example of the government's fair handedness. Other schemes are currently underway in other regional capitals, the pace of work only hampered by lack of land or a shortage of materials. Mr Dery observed that the high demand for accommodation in the Wa municipality and welcomed the provision of the affordable housing scheme. The Minister assured that Government’s effort to provide affordable houses is not meant to take away the private sector’s contribution in providing accommodation but to complement their efforts. He also assured the landowners of prompt payment of compensation, saying, "I will personally go to Accra and bring the cheque." Source: The Statesman