Zongo Minister beats retreat over Nima high-rise buildings plan

The Minister of Inner City and Zongo Development has backtracked on his promise that Nima, a popular slum in Accra, will have high-rise buildings as part of plans to develop Zongos. “That one, let me be honest with you,” Boniface Abubakar Saddique opened up on TV3’s New Day on Thursday as regards the promise of high-rise buildings. “It is a long-term project.” He said the project involves a lot beginning with negotiation for land from current owners and even subsequently evacuating current occupants. He said by his pronouncement in November last year, he meant the Ministry will lead as the “negoatiator” between investors and land owners. “When that exercise is done and done well, then they vacate the place [for the buildings].” On New Day last year, the Madina Member of Parliament had promised that high-rise buildings will dot the whole of Nima while a senior high school will be built as part of plans of the government in creating the Zongo Development Ministry. “We will have a proper discussion with the people [and] if they agree, a memorandum of understanding will be signed, and investors will put up high-rise buildings in the area.” But on Thursday he told host Johnnie Hughes that while the high-rise buildings are part of long-term plans, the SHS will be built at all cost. “There is no SHS in the whole of Nima. Ask yourself why? [If] we want them educated, why don’t we give them education.” Zongos cheated The former MP for Salaga in the Northern Region asked Ghanaians to commend President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his vision to help Zongos. All governments before and after independence, he maintained, had cheated Zongos. “They have always treated Zongos as transit points,” he noted. But he said the president has seen the need to give Zongos – most of which originated from Salaga – their due by creating his ministry and already the Finance Minister has released funds for major projects. By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|editors.3news.com|Ghana Follow @kwame_amoh