The Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOSAG) has concluded arrangements to begin construction of a housing project for members in the Ashanti region. The Association has secured a 480-acre land to put up over 100 housing units for members. Board Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee, Kwame Asamoah Dwomoh, says financiers and developers on the project have constructed a sample house at the site. He tells Luv Fm “the foreign financiers will build and then you [the civil servants] will buy on mortgage basis. The Ashanti one is in between five and 15 years… after you’ve been able to contribute 25% of the total cost, the keys should be handed over to you and you spread the rest within either 10 or 15 years”. Mr. Asamoah Dwomoh, who was recently elected as the First National Trustee of CLOSAG, is hoping the housing project and a Savings & Loans scheme initiated in the Ashanti region would be replicated across the country within the four-year tenure of the CLOSAG leadership. Meanwhile, CLOSAG expects to be better placed on the single spine salary structure when the on-going job re-evaluation is completed. The re-evaluation exercise is taking place in the three regions of Ashanti, Greater Accra and Central to cover all grade levels. This follows agitations by the civil servants for the right to directly negotiate with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission for pay rise. Mr. Asamoah Dwomoh tells Luv Fm the group will not relent in its negotiation with government for better wages and service conditions. Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh/Luv Fm/Ghana