The Local Government Ministry says the government has started the construction of hostel facilities for head porters popularly known as “Kayayes” as promised by the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Prior to the 2016 General Election, Nana Akufo-Addo as NPP Presidential candidate, promised to build hostel facilities for the kayayes to afford them decent accommodation.
Presenting the 2020 budget statement in Parliament, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, reiterated the government’s commitment in fulfilling that promise by constructing a 600-bed kayaye hostel facility at Agbogbloshie in Accra.
Speaking to Nhyira FM’s Nana Jantuah on Kuro yi mu Nsem, the Deputy Local Government Minister, Augustine Collins Ntim, said construction of similar facility has begun in Suame in the Ashanti region.
“In the round up to elections, we promised our brothers and sisters from the northern regions who work in Accra and Kumasi as head porters a decent hostel accommodation for them. The construction has already begun at Suame, but it is delayed. So the government has appointed me to oversee its progress,” he stated.
Mr Ntim says mobilization fees have already been paid to the contractors who he expects to speed up construction.
“We have begun the construction which some are at an advanced stage so I want to go and see for myself the stage it has gotten to,” he said
Other hostels at Tafo, Asokore Manpong and Oforikrom are, however, yet to begin.
The project, according to Collins Ntim, is under the supervision of the Local Government Ministry.