UNDP has no flats at Cantonments—Country Director

The Ghana office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has denied having any flats at the Cantonments enclave in the Greater Accra Region.

According to the UNDP, reports suggesting that some staff of the organisation allegedly housed at the supposed Cantonments flats and being harassed by personnel from National Security, cannot therefore be true.

The news reports allege that a contractor tasked to redevelop the said UNDP flats has had to give up his work following unending harassment from National Security officials.

But a statement signed and issued by the UNDP Country Director, Gita Welch Thursday, said: “UNDP wishes to state that it has no such housing facility in Cantonments and has no official living in the said flat”.

According to the statement, the “facility does not belong to UNDP and UNDP has not hired nor tasked any Contractor to redevelop it.”

The statement however, condemned any act of vigilantism and said the organisation remain committed to supporting the government to address any form of violence in the country.

Below is the UNDP’s statement in full:

Accra, 18th April 2018 – UNDP’s attention has been drawn to the news story on flats in Cantonments that is said to be housing its officials. UNDP wishes to state that it has no such housing facility in Cantonments and has no official living in the said flat.

Our understanding is that the facility in question was built in the 1960s and was being rented out to officials of the diplomatic corps. The facility does not belong to UNDP and UNDP has not hired nor tasked any Contractor to redevelop it.

We however condemn any act of vigilantism and remain committed to supporting Government to address any form of violence in the country.