Mills Takes Decision On STX Housing Project

The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alban Bagbin, has announced that the Attorney General will soon advise President John Evans Atta Mills on the final decision to take on the almost botched STX housing project. The US$10 billion housing deal out of which $1. 5 billion was to have been used to build 30,000 housing units for Ghana�s security agencies has hit a snag following boardroom and courtroom wrangling between both parties - STX Ghana and STX Korea. Speaking on an Accra-based radio station Joy FM on Tuesday, Mr. Bagbin said STX Ghana and Korea have held government to ransom for far too long and the time has come for a final decision to be taken. He said the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has threaded with caution because it wanted �to clear its mind� on some contractual issues in order not to fall foul to some of the clauses of the STX agreement. Mr. Bagbin said the government of Ghana has met all its �obligations and responsibilities� but the blame lie at the doorsteps of the feuding parties. �We have to make sure we are clear in our minds. We also didn�t want to go through any long process,� he said. �We are cautious and careful to make sure national interest is well protected. I don�t see how the parties who have unduly delayed us could take government to court. It�s their failure to deliver on their promise. � The minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) spokesperson on Finance, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, also supported the call for the Attorney General�s department to be �aggressive� and to look at the contract closely to �see if the government can sue for any relief. � �The government has to review the contract to make sure we have not breached anything. If the partners have any quarrels that�s their problem. It�s unfortunate that we are going to say we told you so but we have to learn our lessons. �After a year that nothing has happened, the President must take a decision and must not wait for a longer time. We should take a decision,� he added.