The President, Nana Akufo-Addo has praised the Board of Trustees and Management of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) for their role in ensuring the completion of the Osei Tutu II Housing Estate.
Speaking during the inauguration of the project last Thursday at Asokore-Mampong in the Ashanti Region, the president said the “conduct, management and leadership of Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor has been exemplary.”
“SSNIT has done an excellent job for completing the project and bringing to the market truly affordable housing units”, he added.
The project forms part of a comprehensive government’s affordable housing initiative meant to provide accommodation to low- and middle-income earners in the country.
This is expected to reduce the shortfall in housing and bring relief to the people of Kumasi and its environs.
To address the housing shortfall in the country, government in through the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing engaged SSNIT to complete the remaining Affordable Housing projects.
The project was handed over to SSNIT in 2015 with blocks of flats at different stages of completion ranging from foundation to roofing level.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Hon. Samuel Atta-Akyea, lauded SSNIT for its efforts in completing the project.
He further reassured the gathering of the government’s resolve to address the housing deficit in the country.
“The president has delivered on his promises and when given the space, it would result in mass affordable housing roll-out with a credible mortgage scheme”, he said.
Earlier, the Director General of the Trust, Dr. John Ofori-Tenkorang in his address, noted that the completion of the project is part of SSNIT’s investment targeted at improving returns for the Scheme and the long term sustainability of the Fund.
“We are a pension fund created by statute and our job, among others, is to invest funds of contributors to generate adequate returns so that we can continue to pay benefits to retired workers and their dependents,” Dr. Ofori-Tenkorang said.
Background
The estate is made up of 91 blocks with a total of 1,027 units comprising 691 two-bedroom, 336 one-bedroom and 26 shops.
The facility has a centralized water reservoir, centralised biogas sewage treatment system, well laid out tarred roads with streets lights, paved walkways and communal car parks, community Police Station, among others reflecting a modern city.
The project was initiated in 2005 under President Kufuor’s administration to provide accommodation to low- and middle-income earners. However, the stalled in 2009 and in 2015, the project was handed over to SSNIT to complete.
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