UN officials involved in a housing project at Amasaman forced to resign – Simons
Vice president cuts sod for the commencement of affordable housing project in Amasaman
Vice President of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, has alleged that the government's British partners in the UN-led affordable housing project at Amasaman have been fingered in a corruption scandal.
According to Bright Simons, the United Nations (UN) officials in charge of the project have either been suspended or forced to resign.
In a tweet shared on May 8, 2022, the IMANI vice president added that because of the embezzlement allegations and the resignation of the UN officers, the housing project that was to provide 6,500 houses has come to a halt.
"The financing for a major "affordable housing scheme" launched less than a year ago in Ghana with the support of a UN agency is now kaput after the British partner was accused of embezzling millions of dollars & UN execs were suspended & forced to resign," the tweet shared by Simons.
The 6,500-unit housing project in Amasaman forms part of the 100,000 United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS) and Sustainable Housing Solutions (SHS) affordable housing scheme.
Ghana's Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, cut sod for the commencement of the project in August 2021.
Dr. Bawumia indicated that the project is critical to addressing Ghana's housing needs.
"With the UNOPS programme coming on board to augment the projects currently being taken by government, we are miles away to addressing the housing gap. The affordable housing scheme will enable working Ghanaians purchase decent homes," he is quoted to have said.
According to theheraldghana.com, the British partner who has been fingered in the embezzlement scandal is a businessman named David Kendrick who was handed the housing project.
The report said that David Kendrick was present in Ghana during the cutting of the sword for the construction of the affordable housing project in Amasaman but not a single unit of the houses has been constructed although the US$ 36 million-dollar housing loan for the project has been made available.
It added that Ghana was to receive over US$ 5 billion for the construction of about 100,000 affordable houses which was to be overseen by one of David Kendrick’s companies.
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File photo: An affordable housing project