STX housing deal saga; President Mills says "I am eating a humble pie"
President John Evans Atta Mills says he is seeking alternatives to the 200,000 housing unit deal it struck with South Korean conglomerate STX Corp. in January 2011.
The $1.5 billion deal, which has not taken off due to boardroom wrangling between the Korean and Ghanaian counterparts, was supposed to provide another 30,000 houses to the security agencies.
Making this known at a session with editors of the various media houses at the Castle, Osu, the President noted that, "We have some difficulties with the STX project and as a President, I am eating a humble pie to say that we are looking for alternatives.”
"They've spent so much time on boardroom wrangling and the time has come that we can no longer wait for them to resolve their problem.”
He said his government would soon come out with a decision on the STX deal.
Responding to other issues of national interest, the President noted that the affordable housing project, which his government inherited from the Kufuor administration, was facing financial constraints. “I must give credit to the works and Housing Minister [Alban Bagbin]… it has not been easy. People have made proposals to us to try and complete the housing units. Let us make no mistake to say resources are there and we are not using them,” he said.
Clearing issues on fuel increment, President John Evans Atta Mills stated that “it was one of the painful exercises we had to undertake. I know how it has affected ordinary Ghanaians. We didn’t have a choice because the amount of subsidy and the current price of oil more than $100 and other consideration gave us no alternative,” and added that “a time will come when prices will come down dramatically to relieve Ghanaians.”
In another response to Daily Guide editor, Charles Takyi-Boadu, about the cocaine-turned-soda saga, the President said he was still waiting for the BNI and the judiciary to complete their investigations.
Regarding the opposition NPP’s comments that EOCO is not credible to investigate the GHS 42 million judgment debt paid to Alfred Agbesi Woyome, the President insisted that EOCO was a credible institution and questioned the minority’s reasons for an independent enquiry.
Responding to a sarcastic question from editor of the Enquirer newspaper, Raymond Archer, on three reasons why he (President Mills) should be given a second term in office, the President noted that Ghanaians could not deny the fact that they had seen an improvement in their lives, adding that his government had maintained the peace and stability in the country.
For his third reason the President said, “We have used the resources to provide amenities for them and that is what they are enjoying. The growth in the economy is not a fluke. I will not boast and say we have done everything but we have made a good beginning and I am sure the people of Ghana will give us a second term.”
By: Jasmine Arku, e.tv Ghana
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