500 Housing Units Contract: GREDA Disappointed With Gov't

The Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) has expressed dismay at the decision by government to sign a contract with a South African construction firm Guma Group for the construction of 500 housing units for the police and the military personnel. Executive Secretary of GREDA, Sammy Amegayibor, told XYZ News that even though the association has put in a request to replace the STX housing contract that fell through, government is yet to provide a response to their proposal. Vice President john Mahama on Friday, superintended the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Ghana and the Guma Group of South Africa to roll out housing units for the security agencies. The project, which takes off in October, would begin with the construction of 500 housing units for police personnel. The arrival of the Guma Group ostensibly provides a bridge-gap for the botched STX housing project. Guma Group would finance the project and later transfer it to the Ghana Government. But Sammy Amegayibor said �it is a bit disappointing though; we submitted a proposal to them and I think the least we should expect from them is to call us and sit us down and see what we can do about what we have proposed, but nobody has called� adding �we don�t know why they think that working with foreigners is better for them.� He said �no Ghanaian businessman will be happy to hear that business that easily be arranged locally is being given to foreigners.� He revealed that the council will meet in a few days to take a decision on the way forward.