The Ministry of Works and Housing has announced measures to refund deposits made by prospective buyers of the government’s affordable housing units that stalled over a decade ago.
The Ministry announced this on Wednesday, stating that this initiative seeks to address the concerns of depositors who made initial payments but were unable to secure units due to delays in the completion of the projects in Kpone, Borteyman and Asokore-Mampong.
Affected depositors are required to visit the Ministry’s office in Accra with their offer letters, payment receipts and valid national ID cards to process their claims. For those unable to attend in person, authorized representatives with appropriate documentation will be accommodated.
“Similarly, in the event where the depositor is deceased, the next of kin with a copy of the Letters of Administration or probate will be admitted for the verification,” it added.
Launched in 2005, the affordable housing scheme aimed to provide low-cost homes to Ghanaians. However, the project stalled in 2008 due to funding challenges. The Ministry later transferred the projects to SSNIT and TDC Development Company Limited for completion.
While SSNIT has completed the Borteyman and Asokore-Mampong projects, the Kpone development remains under construction.
To address the lasting issues, the Ministry is inviting depositors who are no longer interested in purchasing the units to apply for refunds, stating that “a special desk has been created at the Ministry to handle the refund process, which will run from November 28 to December 23, 2024.”
It has also emphasised that claims submitted after the December 23 deadline would not be honoured, as it seeks to indemnify itself from future liabilities.
“Interested depositors who are willing to raise the additional funds still have the option to buy any of the completed units,” it stated.
Margaret Adjeley Sowah, ISD