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Release
NPP, November 1, 2012
AKUFO-ADDO PLEDGES SOCIAL HOUSING HOSTELS
FOR “KAYAYEI” AND STREET HAWKERS. WHAT IS JOHN MAHAMA
PLEDGING?
President John Mahama has recently described Nana Akufo-Addo’s
promise of putting up hostel facilities for Kayayei (head
porters) and other vulnerable young workers like street
hawkers, “as the most insulting of all his promises”.
Addressing a party rally at Savelugu in the Northern Region on
Wed 31st October 2012, the President described the promise as
a clear indication that the flagbearer of the NPP is very
desperate to win power.
But, what is the President’s solution to the accommodation
problem of this large and vulnerable group?
This is yet another evidence that the President has completely
lost touch with the concerns and aspirations of the suffering
masses of Ghana. At his IEA Evening Encounter he said the
“quality of life” that Ghanaians are enjoying today is
“unprecedented.” We wonder which Ghana he lives in.
In the same speech, President Mahama said the “long-cherished
dream of Ghanaians” is to once again own our own national
airline. From what we see, the long-cherished dream of most
people is to get access to good education, good health, decent
housing, and good jobs with good pay – security of life. Not a
national airline, Mr President.
Again, he says the issue with secondary education is not
affordability, meaning parents have no problems paying fees.
Never has there been a Head of State (not even one forced on
Ghanaians) who did not have a clue as to the real needs of the
people of this country than this Caretaker President, John
Mahama.
For him to say providing decent shelter for the growing
numbers of kayayei and street hawkers is insulting is in
itself insulting to the life sufferings of these vulnerable
young citizens of Ghana, who are constantly abused and have to
endure the hazards of sleeping unprotected on urban streets
and pavements, and many of them with their babies.
The NPP believes that, this is not how a society must treat
its vulnerable groups and we will proceed to fix it with both
short and long term measures.
In John Mahama, Ghanaians have a president who believes social
housing is travelling to Korea to sign a bad deal for the
construction of expensive 200,000 houses at an average price
of $50,000, which did not even happen. There has been nothing
social about any housing policy directly promoted by John
Mahama under this NDC III regime.
But, rather than revising his notes, he wants to do what he
does best these days, misdirecting his attacks on every
visionary social policy by Nana Akufo-Addo.
It is obvious that the President is either not well-informed
about Nana Akufo-Addo’s policy on social housing or has
deliberately chosen to ignore the details for political
expediency and in doing so has only succeeded in exposing his
unforgivable ignorance of the subject matter.
Nana Akufo-Addo in his speech to GREDA on 22nd October 2012,
presented a detailed policy on housing (read full speech at
www.akufoaddo2012.com) outlining specific interventions he
intends to make in social and public housing in the next four
years when elected.
Among others, the NPP Presidential Candidate said:
“We shall promote and institute the building of hostels for
the most vulnerable, like the Kayayie, who currently sleep on
the streets. These hostels will be run in conjunction with the
skills training organisations so that residents will be
obliged to undergo skills training and by the time they leave
a hostel, they would be qualified to be independent. No one
will stay in a hostel longer than a maximum of four years”.
Kayayie, like our street hawkers, unskilled labourers and
others, are hardworking Ghanaians, trying to make a decent
living for themselves in the mist of trying social and
economic conditions. Our society is in danger of ignoring
them. Rather than sleep on the streets and be homeless, they
deserve like all citizens dignity and support.
In the 2012 NPP Manifesto, the NPP talks about developing
social housing programs to address the housing needs of the
marginal and vulnerable in society in line with Nana
Akufo-Addo’s vision of building a free and fair society of
opportunities and prosperity for every Ghanaian.
Our program is to build 100 social housing hostels in all
regions of Ghana, providing 24,000 hostel beds at a cost of
about GHC140 million over a four year period (2013-2016).
These will be built in partnership with the private sector and
the hostels will be run in conjunction with vocational, skills
training organisations and other NGOs.
Shops will be provided on the ground floor which will be
rented out at commercial rates to enable private sector
partners re-coup part of their investment in the hostels. The
hostels will be managed by a Housing Association on very
disciplined and responsible rules.
Corporate bodies and charities will be encouraged to support
and sponsor the skills training and counseling programs
offered at the hostels and also advertise their brand on the
buildings. Facilities will be provided for residents of the
hostels for counseling, and vocational training, including,
hairdressing, dressmaking, etc so that after a hard days work,
the kayayei, will have the opportunity of learning some basic
professional skills, basic literacy and numeracy and receive
counseling in health and reproductive issues. What better way
to do this than in well-organised and properly ran hostels.
The hostels are not going to be permanent abode for the
tenants. It will serve as an interim system to offer them both
accommodation and training opportunities after which they get
a certificate and will be assisted to get a decent job with a
decent pay. At the end of the period (not longer than 4 years)
the Kayayei would have acquired the necessary skills to live
an independent life and would be required to move out of the
hostel.
How can the President, whose party claims to put “people
first” come out against such a policy for the homeless. It
shows the confusion in his mind.
This reinforces the broadly held view that the President is
out of touch with the needs and challenges of ordinary
Ghanaians. “Kayayei” are Ghanaians and deserve dignity and the
hope of a better life like every other citizen. Vote out the
NDC.
VOTE FOR THE NPP and let Nana Akufo Addo implement his idea of
Social Housing Hostels for the vulnerable and marginal in our
society.
………signed…….
Boakye Agyarko
2012 NPP Campaign Manager
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