Claims that Francis Asenso-Boakye, a sector minister, conspired with a former chief justice to sell Justice Samuel Marful-Sau’s official residence have been denied by the Ministry of Works and Housing.
This comes in response to allegations made by Kennedy Agyapong, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central, that a former Chief Justice and the Sector Minister conspired to sell Justice Samuel Marful-Sau‘s official residence.
The Ministry said in a statement released on Sunday, January 14, that it “strongly refutes the allegation and states that there has been no such sale of the property.”
“For the avoidance of doubt, the said land has not been sold as it is mischievously being alleged and remains the property of the State. The Government Redevelopment Programme (GRP) is rather a cost-effective undertaking which ultimately gives optimal benefit and ensures efficient use of government lands.”
It made clear that the current changes occurring at the late Justice Marful-Sau’s official residence were a result of the Government Redevelopment Programme (GRP).
“The GRP, which dates as far back as 1992, has since its inception, been widely implemented by successive Governments within the Greater Accra Region, specifically in Kanda. Cantonments, West Ridge and Roman Ridge. On 14th May 2018, Cabinet approved a revised scheme regarding the GRP to include other neighbourhoods such as Osu Ringway, Airport Residential Area and Labone,” it added.
According to the Ministry, the need to locate residential housing in Accra for the steadily increasing number of public and civil servants made the GRP necessary.
“The programme is underpinned by the philosophy to optimize government’s prime lands located within old run-down neighbourhoods of Accra and other major cities in the country,” it added.
According to the Ministry, the Program has since had a positive impact on the development of these upscale neighborhoods, which are now home to more public sector employees than in the past.
“In tandem with the GRP, the Ministry continues to discharge its mandate to provide housing to public sector workers. Currently, the Ministry is redeveloping four (4) of such structures which sit on about three acres of land in Roman Ridge, which formerly served as official residences for a late Supreme Court Justice, an Appeals Court Judge, a Minister of State and a retired Chief Director,” it added.
