Affail Monney exchanging the agreement with Kofi Anokye
The planned affordable housing project by the Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA) has commenced with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the association and the real estate developers, Koans Estate.
The signing of the MoU, witnessed by members of the GJA Media Village Project (MVP) committee and journalists, brings into fruition months of planning and due diligence by the two entities to ensure that members of the GJA own their own houses.
The project, as agreed upon, will involve the construction of 100 units of two and three-bedroom houses on 70 by 100 plot of land each at GH¢60,000 and GH¢80,000 respectively.
They will be located in a gated community at Eastern Hill, near Nsawam in the Eastern Region.
GJA President, Affail Monney, said the MVP would go down in history as one of the projects that championed the welfare of the Ghanaian journalist.
He said although the association is fully aware of the cost, it is the best negotiated deal, taking into consideration the prices on the real estate market in the country.
Mr. Monney therefore, encouraged journalists to sacrifice and be part of the opportunity to own their own houses by picking a registration form at GH¢1,000.
The GJA president said the project is likely to be replicated in other regions so that journalists across the country can also benefit.
Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Freda Prempeh, officially launching the project, commended the GJA for initiating a project that seeks the welfare of its members.
She said with such initiatives, the country’s housing deficit which currently stands at 1.7m will be cut by 100.
The deputy minister also lauded Koans Estate – representing the private sector – for partnering the GJA to address housing deficit in the country.
She stressed the need for modern technology to be used in putting up the houses in order to cut the costs and ensure that majority of the media practitioners benefit from the project.
Kofi Anokye, CEO of Koans, said the project is part of the corporate village concept aimed at helping hardworking Ghanaian journalists and demystify house ownership.
“At Koans, we believe that every worker deserves to own a house hence, our corporate village. Owning a house should not and never be the preserve of the rich,” he said.
He said working in the media is an honorable job and so journalists must be rewarded for the struggles they go through to expose the ills of society and make public office holders accountable to the people.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri