Koforidua, July 2, GNA - A senior Citizen, Mr Kwadwo Hagan, has appealed to the government to utilize the Presidential Palace for its intended purpose because it was built at the expense of the taxpayer. According to him, the continuous neglect of the facility did not augur well for the country, therefore, the government should make the necessary arrangements for the use of the facility as the seat of government business.

Making the appeal at a luncheon held by the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, in Koforidua, for senior citizens in the region to mark the Republic Day, he noted that the facility was too expensive to justify its neglect with any excuse.

Mr Hagan, who is a retired civil servant, said it was a known fact that the Presidential Palace was built by the former government and indeed was completed just before its exit, but the credit of that facility belonged to the nation and 93not to the one who built it or the one who used it."

He said the kind of politics, where governments wanted to be given credit for developmental projects was not good and healthy for "our young democracy and progress". Mr Hagan also mentioned the affordable housing projects, which had been abandoned, and cited the Koforidua Effiduase project, which he said had been encroached upon by criminals, and wondered why such a national project, which the people needed so badly could be left in that state.

He wondered why the government wanted to pursue the STX deal that sought to provide thousands of accommodation for the security services but nothing was being done about the affordable housing, which is also meant to provide accommodation.