The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, has announced plans to commence the third phase of the Appiatse reconstruction project, following the accumulation of GHC112 million in the Appiatse Support Fund.
However, concerns have been raised by Secretary of the Phase Three Victims, Joseph Abu, over structural defects emerging in Phase One, prompting calls for improvements in the design and implementation of the upcoming phase.
Following the commissioning of 124 housing units in Appiatse’s first reconstruction phase and the sod-cutting ceremony for phase three, 68 landowners whose properties were acquired for the project felt neglected.
Appiatse Community
Despite the involvement of then-Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, they protested due to what they described as lack of transparency and unresolved compensation issues.
“We thank God for granting us life to witness this moment. To the people of Ghana, we kindly appeal for ongoing support to help the remaining 68 victims secure shelter and a place to reside.”
Just a year after the commissioning of the phase one buildings, occupants are reporting defects, claiming they had alerted the contractor during construction. Unfortunately, their warnings were ignored.
Ekua Ernestina a resident stated that “The water closet is malfunctioning, with water returning without flushing the toilet.
The kitchen remains door less, and the stairs are deteriorating. Moreover, none of the rooms have been plastered. According to the contractor, the material used doesn’t require plastering, but upon touching it, the surface peels off,” she lamented.
Orlando Aidoo another Resident of the community mentioned that “It seems they rushed the construction, possibly due to the approaching elections, and handed over the building without considering crucial details.
There’s no proper drainage system, and when it rains, water seeps into the walls, causing damage.”
It is in this regard that Secretary of Phase Three Victims, Joseph Abu, has urged for an improved design and execution of the Phase Three, while appealing to the reconstruction committee to involve them.
“Considering the challenges faced by our community, we believe the new buildings should be an improvement over the initial phase.
Unlike the block houses we previously had, the current structures are made of bricks. We’re appealing to the reconstruction team to use blocks for our buildings to ensure they’re well-structured.
Moreover, our homes typically have halls, toilets, bathrooms, kitchens, and corridors. We’re pleading with the team to consider our original plans and design something similar, rather than condensing us into single rooms.
This would be a more fitting compensation for our losses.” He appealed.
Meanwhile, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah and the Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson have accessed the phase one and phase two construction sites, with the intent of exploring ways to improve the project for phase three.
“Given the structural defects identified in Phase One, we’re shifting focus to Phase Three. However, we’ll first assess these defects and explore ways to address them.
It’s crucial that we prioritize the concerns raised, including the need for recreational amenities, healthcare centers, and business hubs to support individuals who lost their livelihoods in the incident.” He said.
He revealed that the Appiatse support fund has raised 112 million cedis, with 60 million cedis spent on phases one and two.
He assured that government is committed to completing phase three and providing care for those injured during the incident.
“I also informed them about the remaining balance in the Appiatse Support Fund, which stands at 52 million cedis. We’ll collaborate to utilize these funds to complete outstanding works, focusing on Phase Three, given that 60 million cedis has already been spent on Phases One and Two.” He added.
Source:3news.com
