SADA presents hydraform machines to Rural Housing
The Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) has presented five Hydraform block-making machines worth GH¢ 400,000 to the Department of Rural Housing (DRH) in Tamale.
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The machines are to be used in moulding blocks in the SADA ecological zone as part of measures to address the housing needs of the people. Each of the machines has the capacity to produce 1,500 blocks daily.
SADA-DRH collaboration
The director of integrated programme for SADA, Dr Emmanuel Abeere-Inga, explained that the authority’s collaboration with the DRH was to address the housing challenges in the SADA ecological zone.
He said the DRH was identified as a key stakeholder with the technical know-how to implement SADA’s accessible and affordable rural housing project in partnership with the various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs). The director said the initiative formed part of SADA’s core mandate.
Hydraform blocks
Dr Abeera-Inga explained that the blocks manufactured by the hydraform machine were of the same quality as cement blocks.
He added that the hydraform machines only required limited quantity of cement to mould blocks.
According to him, more than 51 artisans had been trained in the SADA catchment area in the use of the hydraform machines.
He, therefore, indicated that with the provision of logistical assistance to the DRH, challenges facing the housing sector in the beneficiary areas would be reduced.
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Development plan
Dr Abeera-Inga said SADA had begun a process to develop a master plan to fast track development in its catchment areas.
The master plan, he explained, would be led by a team of consultants from Singapore who played a critical role in the transformational efforts of Singaporean Development Agenda (SDA).
He added that the Singaporean team, which would be in the country in September this year, would be complemented by another group from Brazil whose focus would be on agriculture.
Local materials
The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, said the collaboration between SADA and DRH was backed by a government policy to use 60 per cent of local building materials in the construction of public buildings.
That, he explained, would facilitate the provision of employable skills for the youth.
Solving housing deficit
The National Director for DRH, Mrs Deborah A. A. Kuwornu, said there was shortage of housing units in many MMDAs.
According to her, the rural population, which formed about 49.1 per cent of the country’s population, had about 57. 7 per cent share of the housing stock.