A staff of NSS showing the minister images of the new office complex
Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has stated that the National Service Scheme (NSS) will revolutionise the housing sector as the scheme makes plans to venture into the production of low-cost housing units in the country, using expertise of its personnel.
According to him, the NSS stands a good chance to change the face of affordable housing delivery as part of the government’s commitment to overhaul the planning system and increase home ownership.
Speaking at inauguration of a supplementary office complex at the NSS headquarters in Accra last Friday, the Education Minister said it was heart-warming to hear the scheme has personnel with expertise in construction, and pledged the government’s readiness to support them with the needed resources.
President Akufo-Addo, in January this year, announced plans by the government to construct 10,000 affordable houses for teachers within the next two years, while addressing the 6th quadrennial meeting of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).
Dr. Adutwum said the NSS plan falls within that of the government and announced plans to bring together stakeholders in the industry to ensure that the vision becomes a reality, while praising the scheme for taking up the challenge.
Executive Director of NSS, Osei Assibey Antwi noted that the scheme already has in place a team of experts to deliver its planned programme of affordable housing schemes for Ghanaians.
“When it comes to building, I know one of the most expensive aspects is labour. Already we are paying for it through national service. We have a backlog of about 1,000 service persons in the construction field who can take up any task you give to us,” he stated.
He told the minister the NSS again has the managerial competence to help the government deliver on the provision of low-cost housing for Ghanaians.
Mr. Antwi said the scheme is poised to undertake construction of classroom blocks which are funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), using personnel of the service, promising that they would deliver a good job.
He indicated that the government had set processes in motion to give the NSS the legal framework and mandate to undertake the building projects.
In a bid to succeed, the NSS has already acquired a two-acre land at Hwereso in the Ejisu Municipality of the Ashanti Region to construct its model structures for teachers, he revealed.
The model structures offer teachers the choice to choose two, three, four or five-bedroom facilities with payment plan agreement suitable for their needs and financial capabilities.
By Ernest Kofi Adu