The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Ghana, Mr William Hanna, has paid a day's working visit to Golden Exotic Limited (GEL).

The visit was to inspect the progress of the Construction of Housing and Social Infrastructure project in Kasunya, near Asutsuare in the Shai-Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region.

A statement issued by the EU said the €5.9 million project was funded by the European Union, and would provide 224 housing units for workers of the Golden Exotics Limited banana plantation.

It noted that a social centre would also be constructed.

It said approximately 800-1000 people would live in this new neighbourhood in the near future.

The EU funding was provided in the framework of the Banana Assistance Measures (BAM), which provides financial assistance to facilitate trade between banana-producing countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific.

The statement said Ghana was one of 11 countries receiving financial assistance for the banana trade, and the houses would ease accommodation and transportation cost of GEL employees, who now had to commute long distances, thereby saving travel time and costs on one hand and providing decent housing on the other.

It said Ambassador Hanna inspected the site together with the Member of Parliament for Shai-Osudoku Constituency, Mrs Linda Ocloo.

The statement said the contractor, KO&G, expects to deliver the houses in the last quarter of 2018.

It noted that after the visit, Ambassador Hanna said: “I am pleased to see work progressing well on the new houses for banana workers. Providing decent work and working conditions is one of the reasons why Ghana's banana exports all obtain the Fair Trade label.”

He added: “It's also encouraging to see that one year after Ghana's ratification of the EPA, producers are investing more and more in organic production, which gives added value and secures jobs for thousands of workers.

“This is an excellent example of sustainable production and consumption in the agricultural sector.”