The Ministry of Works and Housing is losing track of government properties under its supervision across the country and has therefore resolved to undertake an inventory of government buildings both residential and office accommodations across the country.
Owing to this, the ministry yesterday inaugurated the Government Buildings Inventory Committee (GBIC) to capture the current state of its properties.
According to the Sector Minister, Francis Asenso-Boakye, due to the current situation, it had become necessary for a comprehensive inventory to be undertaken to check their integrity and recover government properties sited across the country which have fallen into illegal hands.
Inaugurating the eight-member committee yesterday at the ministry, Mr. Asenso-Boakye said the committee has three months to complete its mandate which includes validating the exercise and location of government buildings, offices and residential accommodation as well as checking their integrity records.
“You are also to determine the functionality of government buildings, compile data on properties occupied by retired public servants who continue to live in official bungalows and or bequeathed those properties to relations,” he added.
Mr Asenso-Boakye said the committee was to compile data on properties that have been converted to other uses or sold outright, identify their locations, their current state and persons or institution occupying them.
He indicated the committee was expected to reconcile and prepare reports of property records, establish accountability and responsibility over the properties.
He mentioned that the committee was expected to liaise with the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to conduct physical inventory of government buildings, offices and residential accommodations to attest to the physical existence of such properties
Members of GBIC include Mr Bryan Acheampong Member of Parliament for Acetify, as Chairman of the committee, Madam Glory Nana Yana Marty, Head of Public Works Department – Prestige, Dr Anima Dame, senior Technical Advisor, National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and Mr. Solomon Osier Gymea, Ministry of Finance.
The rest are Mrs Laura Tetteh, Head of Estate, Lands Commission, Mrs Joyce Wereko-Ampim Opoku, Administrator General, Mr Collins Tabiri, National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) and Mr Daniel Nii Tackie Assistant Auditor General (Rtd)
Mr Acheampong said the committee would ensure that it meets the deadline given to it and also help Ghana identity and take stock of its properties.
He thanked the minister for the confidence reposed in him and other members of the committee.
BY JEMIMA ESINAM KUATSINU
