Government has announced that construction of the third and final phase of the Appiatse Redevelopment Project will commence by mid-September 2026, paving the way for the resettlement of the remaining 69 households affected by the 2022 explosion.
Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Dr. Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, announced this on Tuesday, August 11, during the inauguration of the Local Implementation Committee for Phase 3 of the project at Bogoso in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality of the Western Region.
He said the Ministry has made significant progress on preparatory works for the final phase, including securing suitable land and commencing the compulsory acquisition process, revising the local plan to accommodate Phase 3, completing architectural designs and initiating procurement processes for consultants and contractors.
“Once we conclude the procurement process, we will cut sod for construction to commence by mid-September 2026,” the Deputy Minister assured residents.
The third phase is expected to provide permanent resettlement for 69 households that remain outstanding following the completion of the first two phases of the redevelopment programme.
The Appiatse Redevelopment Project was initiated following the devastating explosion of January 20, 2022, which claimed lives, injured several residents and destroyed homes and livelihoods in the community.
Dr. Sulemana said although the losses suffered by the people of Appiatse could never be fully reversed, government remained committed to completing the redevelopment and ensuring that affected residents were resettled in a safe, inclusive and sustainable manner.
He explained that the redevelopment had from the outset been guided by the objective of building back a safer, stronger, greener and more resilient model community.
The Deputy Minister also announced a change in the building materials proposed for the final phase following concerns raised by residents.
According to him, government has taken note of concerns about the use of earth bricks and has consequently decided that cement blocks will be used for the Phase 3 houses.
The newly inaugurated Local Implementation Committee will serve as a bridge between beneficiaries, the community and government during the implementation of the project.
Among other responsibilities, the committee will facilitate the participation of affected residents in decision-making, promote transparent information sharing, support oversight of redevelopment activities and help identify and resolve grievances arising during implementation.
Dr. Sulemana charged members of the committee to discharge their responsibilities with integrity, fairness and transparency, stressing that community ownership and cooperation would be critical to the successful completion of the project.
He further disclosed that a team from the Lands Commission will visit Appiatse in the coming week to engage stakeholders as part of the compulsory land acquisition process.
The Deputy Minister appealed to traditional authorities, beneficiaries and the wider community to support the exercise and maintain close collaboration with government as construction moves into its final phase.
The Appiatse Redevelopment and Fund Management Committee was reconstituted by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in 2025 to oversee the completion of the final phase and ensure the outstanding victims of the disaster are fully resettled.
Source:tolonradio.com
