The National Forum has intercepted an outright sale of State Housing Company residential facility valued at a huge amount for a mere paltry fraction of the valued figured by the Board of Directors of the once vibrant State Housing Company to themselves. The records available even suggest that the market value of the property could be higher if other valuation methods were used.
Contrary to the repeated �show-talk� of a commitment to fight corruption and clear it out of our system by H.E. President John Dramani Mahama, the social canker which he describes as �mass murder� is going to be with us for so long as he reigns. It does appear that the canker which has reached an incomprehensible apex under the first post-independence born President of the Republic has become fashionable simply because of, as in the words of the Catholic Bishops Conference ��the current situation whereby investigations and prosecution of corrupt public office-holders yield no concrete results�� and seems to encourage further malpractices.�
The aggrieved Unionized Workers of the Western Zone have thus petitioned the BoD to �reverse the sale under reference quick� stating among other things that �the Guest House is strategically positioned and its very viable in respect of revenue generation for the Zone� and that the sale is an attempt by Management to deprive workers of the Company their right to accommodation whilst on official duty at Cape Coast in Violation of Act 6.14 of the CBA and will in future cost the Company much more in hiring hotels for staff on official duties in Cape Coast.�
Possibly, questioning the rational behind the �cheap� sale, the angered workers Union are asking the basis for the arrival at GH40,000.00 as the offer price by demanding the identity of the value(s) stressing further �that all the unionized workers of the zone are ready to buy the Guest House at a higher prize.� They also pointed to the fact that the sale was in bad fate and likened it unto �the sale of State lands/property to Government officials and Ministers of State at the expense of the Nation.�
What we find quite intriguing is that the valuation was done at much earlier date in 2012, February 20. The offer letter of the sale is also dated 2014, January 17. A professional valuer this paper spoke to, Mr. Solomon Owusu, revealed that in a matter of two years, the true value of the said property could go up based on variations of the market trends in the area of location and prices of the materials used in the building on the market. We do doubt the competence of the valuation team of the said property considering their huge enviable background in the survey industry.
All attempts to get the reaction of Managing Director, Mr. Mark Ankra, proved futile as he refused to answer all the 15 calls placed to his phone. The effort was not spared by the Paper to try the sms(text) option which was equally disregarded.
It is our expectation that the Minister responsible for Water, Works and Housing and the Presidency would take keen interest in this mass murdering act at the State Housing Company and do what is right if the talk of a commitment to fight corruption is not a mere rhetoric.
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