The Government of Ghana has reaffirmed its ties with South Africa, pledging to continue working closely with that country to promote mutual development.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said the “bond of friendship between the two nations is strong”, consequently, the authorities ought to leverage the existing bilateral ties for mutual benefits.

“Together, we can achieve the aspirations of our people for peace, prosperity, and sustainable development,” he noted in a congratulatory message to South Africa’s seventh democratically elected President, Cyril Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa was officially sworn in Wednesday for a second term in office, after his reelection by the South African Parliament last Friday during its first sitting.

Running on the ticket of the African National Congress (ANC), Ramaphosa, who is also the leader of the party, received 283 votes, defeating Julius Malema of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), who garnered 44 votes.

“Your re-election is a vindication of the trust and confidence reposed in you by the Members of the Parliament of South Africa, and by your party, the ANC,” President Nana Akufo-Addo stated.

The message acknowledged that the people, through their vote, had demonstrated their commitment to unity and shared governance.

“I am confident that under your leadership, South Africa will continue to reinforce her position as a champion of progress and prosperity on the African continent.

“A strong, united, and prospering South Africa is indeed a great force for progress in Africa,” the President said, and reaffirmed the need for close collaboration “to advance the collective interests of our beloved continent”.

The message reminded the reelected South African President that his assumption of office “comes at a crucial time when the continent is striving for economic recovery, social development and continental integration”.

“I am confident that, under your continued leadership, South Africa will attain greater heights, and make significant strides towards the realisation of these goals,” President Nana Akufo-Addo added.

The ANC, once led by civil rights icon Nelson Mandela, had dominated South African politics over the last three decades until losing its majority in the May 29 national elections.

The party, with its 159 lawmakers in the 400-member National Assembly, found it difficult forming a government on its own, thereby proposing the formation of a government of national unity.

The ANC reached a deal to form a national unity government with the Democratic Alliance, Patriotic Alliance, Inkatha Freedom Party, among others.

Ten international and local companies have expressed interest in completing the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Minister of Works and HousinPolg, has disclosed.

He said the 10 companies had been taken to the project site and that they had had the opportunity to inspect works that had been left there so far.

He noted that the companies were putting together their proposals, and that according to the work plans that the Ministry had put together, by the 8th of July, they expect to formally receive all proposals from the companies.

Mr Oppong Nkrumah, who made the disclosure at a press conference at Parliament House in Accra, said after the Ministry had taken possession of the bids, they would be handed over to an independent evaluation entity, which would give them an evaluation report and then based on that evaluation report Government would proceed to select one of the bids, which might be a single entity or a consortium of entities.

He said the Ministry had announced a process through which the Government would select a private developer or a consortium of private developers to complete the uncompleted Saglemi Affordable Housing Project and operationalise it.

The Minister recalled that Government initially took a loan of about $200 million dollars to build five thousand housing units, a 1,506 were partially completed and that was what one would often see at Saglemi.

He noted that three major components that were missing – water, electricity and sewage works-and that when the Ghana Institute of Surveyors did their assessment, they said the Government needs about a hundred million dollars to complete this 1,506.

He said the Government took a decision within the difficult financial constraints that it was very difficult to find an extra one hundred million dollars after two hundred million had already been spent.

“So, Cabinet took a decision that we should select a private developer or a consortium of private developers and let them make investment in it, so that we can operationalise it,” he said.

He said that when that selection was done, they would get the necessary cabinet approval, sign a contract with the selected entity and handover the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project to this entity to complete and operationalise it; saying “So, that is where we are now.”

Mr Oppong Nkrumah said they were also going through the process of selecting an independent evaluation organization, and that they would be going before PPA to get the one to be selected and then they would do the evaluation and based on that they would make a decision.

He underscored that the Government was going through an opened transparent process to get a developer to complete the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project

“We are fair in our minds about doing everything and above all in accordance with law, we expect that whoever is putting in a bid is also going to do the same, and then in the end we should be able to stand within the scrutiny of time,” he stated.

“We are committed that every single bid that we are receiving, eventually we will publish every single bid, we will also publish the evaluation report, so that you see for yourselves how the various bids were evaluated.”

He said they would publish the decision taken and the final contract; declaring that, “So, everything is being done above board, so, everybody can have confidence that it will stand the test of time.”

The Minister said the Government was making efforts to complete another housing project in Koforidua, which was one of President John Agyekum Kufuor’s Affordable Housing Projects from before 2008, which was still out there.

He said the State Housing Company, based on the instructions the Government gave, was also going through a process rewarding contract for that project to be completed, so they could complete it too.

He reiterated that the Government wants to see to it, that works on that outstanding Affordable Housing Project of President Kufuor in Koforidua was completed.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said the TDC Company had done over a thousand housing units between 2020 and now, and that they were just about to break ground for another housing project of about 800 housing units.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Minority supports the upcoming “Hands Off Our Hotels Demonstration” scheduled in Accra on Tuesday.

A statement issued by Mr Kwame Governs Agbodza, the Minority Chief Whip and NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Adaklu, copied to the Ghana News Agency said the demonstration had been called to protest the Government’s alleged “shady sale of state-owned hotels to the Minister of Agriculture Bryan Acheampong”.

It said this deal, which transfers iconic and profitable state-owned hotels to a cabinet minister further confirms the wanton cronyism, official corruption and state capture which had become the hallmark of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government.

The statement noted that this adds to the extensive list of questionable arrangements which make Ghanaians wonder whether members of the NPP Government were committed to improving the lot of the people or only see political power as an avenue to enrich themselves by grabbing state-owned businesses and strategic state assets for themselves.

“We therefore want to use this opportunity to indicate the Minority’s strong opposition to the sale of these hotels to the Minister of Agriculture, Hon Bryan Acheampong, and urge the public to join Tuesday’s “Hands Off Our Hotels Demonstration” to send a strong signal to the government that the people of Ghana take exception to this shady deal,” the statement said.

“Enough is enough”. The attempt to sell off profitable state-owned hotels to Hon. Bryan Acheampong is wrong, unacceptable and must not be condoned.”

Ms. Dornukie Naa Norteye, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) parliamentary aspirant for the Ada Constituency, has commissioned newly constructed mechanised boreholes in two Detsekorpe and Bedku Kpornya communities.

The boreholes, which have water tanks attached, are aimed at addressing the long-standing water scarcity situation in the two communities and providing potable water for residents.

For years, the residents of these communities in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region have faced significant challenges in accessing clean water.

Madam Dornukie, handing over the water facilities, said she had the development of her hometown at heart, hence setting up the Dornukie Foundation to handle social interventions even before she thought of joining politics.

“You are my own people, and I must save the lives of others even when I am not in any governmental position. I am not yet the MP, but that does not prevent me from helping my people. I only want to plead with you to remember me on December 7, and a lot more will come because Ada deserves better and even more,” she appealed.

Nene Verya Ozor II, the chief of Detsekorpe, said the community disclosed their lack of a reliable water source to the NPP aspirant a fortnight ago.

“Naa Dornukie Norteye pledged to find a lasting solution to our problems, and just after two weeks, she returned to construct a borehole for us, complete with a poly tank, as she had promised,” he said.

Similarly, Nene Wormenor III, the chief of Bedeku Kpornya, expressed his gratitude for the benevolent act and urged the community to support Ms. Norteye in the upcoming elections due to her effort to develop the area.

“We will regard you as a development queen mother in our community because you have done what most candidates, even those in power, could not do,” he stated.

Mr. Abraham Teye Korley and Mr. Nathan Kpodo, assembly members for Bedeku and Tamatoku Electoral Areas, respectively, commended her for the gesture and reiterated the need for electorates in the area to vote for her.

They urged the residents to practice a good maintenance culture to sustain the boreholes and provide them with a reliable water source for their daily activities.

The community members also expressed appreciation for the aspirant for solving one of their pressing needs and promised to do their part by voting for her in the December 7 general elections.