The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, responsible for Lands and Forestry, and Chairman of the Apiate Reconstruction Implementation Team, Benito Owusu-Bio has on Friday, 20th October 2023 paid a working visit to Apiate to among others inspect the level of progress on site and ensure that set targets are met.
The Deputy Minister paid this visit in the company of some of his committee members and a representative from the consulting agency for the project, AESL.
The Reconstruction of the Apiate community which was razed by the unfortunate explosion incident on 20th January 2022, began in April 2022.
The committee detailed the number of houses expected in the new Apiate Community, Mr. Hemans said 124 houses have been erected in the core area of the community flattened completely by the explosion, plus some other 292 buildings which were simply retouched, bringing the total number of houses to constructed to 416 houses of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7-bedroom apartments.
The Government inaugurated the Apiate Reconstruction Committee on February 3, 2022, to ensure the complete reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Apiate community.
The seven-member committee, Chaired by the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Benito Owusu-Bio promised that the government and allied institutions will work hard to ensure that residents of Apiate enjoy a normal life.
On June 7, 2022, the Land and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor said that since the inauguration of the the Apiate Support Fund Committee, the committee has received a cash of 42,527,380 cedis.
He said this while answering questions in Parliament on Tuesday, June 7 regarding the amount received so far.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament Tuesday, June 7, Mr Jinapor said “The company at the centre of the explosion, the company agreed to pay an additional 5 million US dollars to government in 18 equal monthly installment beginning from March 2022.
“On the instruction of the president, the 5million US dollars is also to be paid to the Appiatse Support Fund. So far the company has first four installments to the fund. Mr Speaker, as at Monday 6th June 2022, the Committee had received cash donations totaling the cedi equivalent of 42,527,380 cedis.
“This amount includes the our installment payment made by Maxam Ghana Limited. Out of this amount, one million cedis has been advanced to the Appiatse reconstruction implementation committee to complete temporary structures to accommodate the victims of the incident pending the reconstruction as well as undertake preoperatory works for the construction. The Committee
