President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday inaugurated a 322 housing unit barracks for the Ghana Police Service at Kwabenya in the Ga East Municipality in Accra.
The units, which is the first phase of the project, was developed together with other amenities including a school, clinic, astroturf football field, tennis court, standby generator, police station, fuel filling station and a workshop enclave.
The new barracks complex was constructed through a public private partnership between the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Ministry of Interior, Lands Commission, and a private developer, Unique Development Company Limited.
The project is to pave way for the relocation of the Police Barracks adjacent Airport City to prepare the land for the redevelopment of the area into an Aviation City.
Commissioning the project yesterday, President Akufo-Addo said the project was in line with government’s commitment to provide decent accommodation for security personnel in the country, improve their welfare, and enhance their capacity to serve the nation more effectively.
He noted that the second phase of the project, which covered 192 housing units, together with other amenities, when completed, would together make available 514 housing units to the Ghana Police Service
He urged the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and Unique Development Company to work in earnest towards the completion of the second phase.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the growing population of the country requires the development of innovative solutions to the demand for housing, infrastructure and public services in our major cities.
This, he said, was the reason for the introduction of the Urban Redevelopment Scheme to redevelop major areas of cities in the country with modern infrastructure.
The President said the completion of the first phase of the barracks complex would facilitate the easy relocation of the Ghana Police Service for the Aviation City redevelopment to commence.
On his part, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, lauded the President for the introduction of the policy of urban cities modernisation through the Urban Redevelopment Scheme.
Through the scheme, he said the government was redeveloping public lands in cities which were being under-utilised to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country and give a facelift to cities in the country.
Currently, the Urban Redevelopment Scheme, he said, was being implemented in areas such as Kumasi Sector 18, which comprises of Ridge, Danyame and Nhyiaeso Residential areas, Old Tamale Airport, Ridge Sectors 1, 2 and 3 Residential Areas in Cape Coast, and the Aviation City in Accra.
He said, to pave way for the redevelopment of the Aviation City, the new barrack together with the other projects had been constructed.
In addition to the barracks, Mr Jinapor disclosed that similar projects were being constructed to relocate all the other agencies in the Aviation City enclave, including the Ghana Armed Forces, the West African Examination Council (WAEC), the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), and the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA).
The Minister expressed gratitude to Unique Development Company Limited for partnering with government to realise the project.
He underscored the importance of land to socio-economic development, and pledged the Ministry’s commitment to continue engaging all relevant stakeholders to ensure a functioning and effective land administration system.
The Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, thanked all those who worked to complete the first phase of the project and called for a speedy completion of the second phase of the Project.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, assured the President that the Police would develop and undertake effective maintenance culture to ensure the facility was in good shape to serve the purpose for which it was constructed.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
