By Peter Agengre
Government is under pressure to release the piece of land it received from farmers to put up a housing project in the Upper East Region. The project situated at Pusu Namogo in the Talensi District should have been completed and underuse by now but GBC News’ visit to the site revealed an empty vast land with just two semi-detached apartments out of the of the 120 houses government promised to build.
President Akuffo Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia cut sod for the Rock Estates Affordable Housing Project in November 2019. It was expected to create more than 3,000 job opportunities in the Bolgatanga enclave. But not a single unit of the houses has since been completed.
The project when completed would help address the accommodation challenge in the region, boost economic activities and raise the development standard in the area. However, Assembly Member for Gorogo Electoral Area Roland Basahmah feels disappointed and shortchanged for government’s failure to redeem its image after a beautiful fun fair they had during the sod cutting.
“The people of the Talensi District are very worried, and it’s very painful. So I don’t understand whether we the people of Pusu Namogo do not deserve the good thing. If we deserve it, then they should complete the project,” Mr. Basahmah expressed worry.
Other residents of the Pusu Namogo community are calling on government to release their piece of land back to them in the next farming season if there are no plans for its development. The chief of Pusu Namogo Naab Saheng Kumbelimsaah is sad that the project remains unfinished.
“Those two houses they built are not completed ooo. No doors, no windows, nothing. No matter whatever it is any place that you go and they ask who your president is; it is Nana Akuffo Addo. So I’m just appealing to him if there is no money, they should get back the land to us. We can manage with it.” Naab Kumbelimsaah appealed.
Leadership of the National Democratic Congress in the region earlier issued a statement describing the delay of the project as a betrayal on the people’s conscience while jeopardizing access to their farm lands which serve as source of their livelihoods.