The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ga West Municipal Assembly (GWMA), Clement Nii Lamptey Willkinson has cut sod for the construction of a four-storey hostel facility for head porters popularly known as kayayei.
The hostel facility which is expected to accommodate 300 head porters would be constructed at Adjen Kotoku.
This means these young head porters would be able to live in a decent place after work within the next 18 months.
The facility is among seven other hostel facilities that would be built within seven municipalities in the Greater Accra Region.
Three would be built within the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and one each in Korle Klottey, Ashaiman, La Nkwantanang and Ayawaso Central.
The four-storey facility, which is the first to be built, would be funded by government and expected to be completed within 18 months.
Speaking at a brief ceremony to cut the sod to begin the project in Accra, the MCE explained that the ground floor of the facility would have an auditorium, while the first, second and third floors would accommodate the head porters.
He explained that the project was part of efforts by the government to improve the lives of head porters in Accra.
He further explained that the facility would not only provide accommodation for them but also be an avenue where they would be trained with some vocational skills such as dressmaking and hairdressing.
“Giving them this hostel facility doesn’t mean they will be here all the time, some will move on eventually.
The government will also organize training programmes for them, such as dressmaking and hairdressing,” he noted.
He indicated that they could benefit from the training by first registering to be part of the Kayayei Association.
An Officer from Frontline Limited, Consultants for the Project, Marvin Adjei, noted that the Ga West Municipality was the first municipality where the facility was being built under the Kayaye Hostel Accommodation Facility project.
The Assembly Member for Kotoku Electoral Area, Henry Nii-Chartey Marbell, thanked the government and the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) for starting the project in the municipality and for enhancing development in the community.
