Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has strongly advocated for the government to avoid borrowing money for the resettlement of the flood victims.
According to him, the Saglemi Housing unit provides a viable solution for relocating affected individuals.
The call from Dr. Ato Forson comes in response to the government’s allocation of GH¢ 220 million, to the communities affected by the flood caused by the Akosombo Dam spillage.
This was announced by the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, in the 2024 Budget Statement.
Dr. Ato Forson in an interview with Joy News, indicated that there is no need for the government to take on additional loans.
“We can resettle them easily, and it is enough to resettle the people. You don’t need to go and borrow money again for this.
The government’s approach to this major spillage, the largest man made disaster in our lifetime, has been appalling,” he stated.
Expressing concerns about the economic implications of further borrowing, the Minority Leader emphasised the availability of the Saglemi Housing unit as a cost-effective alternative.
“They are going to borrow money to come and give it to them, what happened to our resources, and when will they get this loan?
“Remember your economy is bankrupt, when are they going to get this loan? It will come, we know, but when? Until they get the loan, the people are not going to be resettled, while we have Saglemi. You won’t spend more than 10 million to put it into proper shape for them to have a place to sleep,” he added.
Source: ghanaweb.com
