A Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr John Kumah has backed government’s decision to sell the controversial Saglemi Housing project to a private developer. 

He says the decision is the best in the scheme of things currently and that per the amount spent on the project already, the houses are no longer affordable.

Speaking on the JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, the Ejisu MP said the government will be transparent in choosing a buyer. 

“The project is no longer affordable per the arrangement that has happened to it because if you divide $200 million by 10,000, you are going to get it at $10,000 and they reviewed it to 1,500 (housing units) which makes it up (from) $40,000 to $50,000 per unit. So how affordable can that be?

“So in the present circumstances, the best option is to bring the private sector in,” he insisted. 

The facility birthed by the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, was originally meant to be a 10,000 residential units later reviewed to 5,000 units facility to ease the accommodation deficit in the country.

It sits on a 300-acre land with one to three-bedroom flats for low-income earners. But since the NDC left office in 2017, the project has been mired in controversy with two former government officials being prosecuted.

Last week, the Works and Housing Minister, Francis Asenso Boakye announced plans to privatise the project.

Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has cautioned the government to discard the plan. 

The Minority Spokesperson for Works and Housing, Vincent Oppong Asamoah said the project is viable therefore, “government should be compelled to look for funds to complete the project instead of privatisation.”

This, he said should be the task of Parliament’s Works and Housing Committee.