Benito Owusu-Bio, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources
A Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Benito Owusu-Bio, has announced that roofing of the temporary structures to house the Apeate disaster victims, handed out to his outfit by the Future Global Resources Company Limited (FGR), has commenced in earnest.
The move, according to him, is in line with the urgent plan by the government and the Ministry in ensuring that the people of Apeate would not be at the mercy of the rains.
The Deputy Minister said this when he paid a working visit to Apeate to ascertain the impact of the recent heavy down pour at the site, and to inspect the Future Global Resources (FGR) buildings which are being refurbished.
Sticking to deadline
He assured residents and the public that the reconstruction team would strictly stick to the May 1, 2022 deadline that will transition victims from the camp tents to the temporary buildings.
“My team and I foresaw this happening, and planned ahead. That is why we have been in talks with FGR on these buildings, and today, as we’ve witnessed, roofing has commenced, and we will be sure to stick to the May 1 stipulated time frame to move the people to the temporary structures,” he indicated.
He also disclosed that 31 blocks had been fitted with wood frames and roofing sheets, an indication that it will be done in the next two weeks.
He added that, having done a head count at the camp, the 31 buildings will be able to house up to 110 family units, with each family at the camp acquiring a room of their own. That he indicated means an average four individuals per family being taken care of.
“Per the head count, everyone at the camp will be housed in the 31 buildings but the project will add more rooms if the need arises to ensure that everyone has a safe place of abode,” he said.
Commitment
Mr Owusu-Bio, who is also the Chairman of the Apeate Reconstruction Implementation Committee, reaffirmed government’s commitment to move them to the temporary structures, affirming that the Akufo-Addo administration had put in place all necessary measures to accommodate them on May 1, 2022.
On behalf of President Akufo-Addo and the Sector Minister, he also empathised with the people of Apeate, particularly those whose tents were affected by the recent down pour.
Mr Blankson Hermans, a member of the Reconstruction Implementation Committee and representative from the Ghana Institute of Architects, indicated that as part of preparations towards the main reconstruction, all demarcations on the site had been completed. He said, soon, construction of the road networks will commence ahead of the detailed designs.
Mr Mohammed Alhassan Damba, the Director for Research Monitoring and Evaluation of the Land Usage and Spatial Planning Authority (LUPSA), also presented the local plan of the model community to the municipal assembly.
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