UNDP flats taken over by squatters, they do not pay rent – Works and Housing Minister

UNDP flats to get facelift

Squatters to be evicted from UNDP flats

There has not been any major rehabilitation of UNDP flats since its establishment

The Minister for Works and Housing who doubles as MP for Bantama in the Ashanti Region, Francis Asenso Boakye, has stated that some squatters have taken over the

Read full articleUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP) flats in Cantonments.

According to him, diplomats and foreign nationals left the flat due to the deplorable state in 2021 but some squatters have taken over the place for some time now.

He said measures are however being put in place to evict the squatters who have occupied the place.

Speaking on the floor of parliament on May 6, 2022, “…Mr. Speaker the initial occupant of the UNDP flats were mostly staff of foreign missions in Ghana, the Cuban medical brigade, and staff of individuals of foreign missions. Mr. Speaker I would like to say that since the establishment of the flat, there has not been any major rehabilitation and therefore the flats are in a deplorable state.

“The deterioration of the flat triggered tenants who initially petitioned the Ministry to take measures to rehabilitate the flat to leave the flat for private and alternative accommodation which was considered suitable to them. Subsequently, by 2021 all foreign nationals and diplomats who were resident in the flat vacated. This created an opportunity for squatters to take advantage to occupy the flats. The current occupants of the current UNDP flats are squatters and therefore do not pay rent," he said.

He added that measures are being taken to give a facelift to the UNDP flats to serve the initial purpose while they also ensure squatters are evicted.

The Minister made this statement when he was answering a parliamentary question filed by Yusif Sulemana, who sought to know the occupants of the UNDP flats in Cantonments and whether or not they pay rent to the government.