June 30 is being recognised yearly as a memorial day marked by the Judiciary for the well calculated abduction and gruesome murder of Ghana’s three renowned High Court Judges and a retired Army Major. However, 30th June, 2010, memorial was superseded by cautionary news by both the print and electronic media about the $10bn STX-Korea Housing Project. President Mill’s government and the NDC majority-led parliament were lambasted by the main opposition party, NPP, about a well calculated plan by the government to suffocate Ghana’s indebtedness for the younger generation by their hasty-willed power to approve the $10bn STX-Korea project at a time when the government knew the nation’s interest in the world FIFA 2010 football was at its peak. Indeed some commentators wondered why anyone, especially the NPP, should even kick against all important housing project which in the developed world has a lot of developmental ramifications on the nation’s socio-economic disposition. However, it was not surprising that after the NPP Minority Leader and MPs had given their approval to the project, the NPP party executives are kicking against it, what an irony? Surprisingly, majority of those who stood against the NPP Vodafone deal and the mistrust of the confidence reposed in our MPs of the NPP majority-led parliament are now suggesting that if Parliament passes the deal then it suffices that the deal is good for Ghanaians. How can one trust now a parliament by the NDC and NPP knowing that when it comes to the issues of money favouring the MPs they come together, including for instance, the alleged $5,000 for most MPs during the Vodafone deal as asserted by Honourable P.C. Appiah Ofori? In a country, like Ghana, where problems in any field of human endeavour such as engineering, medicine, pharmaceuticals and the sciences are analysed by politicians whose background lack such analytical brain can never execute projects from professionalism but polity. Indeed, the NPP executives know that both NDC and NPP MPs are Banana-decision making politicians. The classic politicians’ behaviour as outlook reminds one of the banana fruit as thoughtfully commented by an astute businessman because “all the bananas in a bunch look yellow, but none is straight but bends in one way or the other.” Even with a project like STX Korea which is good by all intents and purposes, the majority in government will not take their time to critically analyse the overall impact on the society, and will surely resort to their own parochial and short-sighted interests in executing the project. What is banana decision about this project by the Mills government? i.e. Where is the straight portion and where is the bend portion of the project? There is an estimated one-million housing deficit in the nation and therefore for the government of the NDC to embark on such a project of 200,000 housing units in 5 years amounts to only 20% of the demand of housing needs. The government has no sources of funding for such an astronomical project and thus relies on the magnanimity of STX and the Korean government in accessing this $10bn funding from international market. The government in attempting to execute this project prudently had also engaged KNUST to undertake the project implementation framework (PIF) and subsequently, the planning, engineering and architectural works. All these are part of the efforts the Mill’s government has taken to ensure the smooth implementation of the project. However, the sites of the housing projects are not yet known, the designs and layouts are not yet known. The grade of materials and Bill of materials are not yet known. How then did the government arrive at a cost of $10bn which averages the cost for each housing unit as $50,000? Why the rush about this deal? Why can’t the NDC majority-led parliament wait until all these parameters are programmed into the costing of the project? The Korean Prime minister is scheduled to cut sod for the project on the 17 July. Pause, reader! This is where the bending part of the banana-decision making of the deal is and Ghanaians and the youth have every right to hold all the 230 MPs accountable. What is the implication in particular on our energy supply of electricity in an already distressed distribution system? The 200,000 housing units in 5years also translate into 110 housing units per day. Why should our government give our sovereign guarantee to a foreign company? Even with the expected annual oil revenue of $M500 were to be mortgaged on this deal Ghana will be in debt for 20 years for ONLY STX deal and what about the other equally pressing projects needed in the country. What an opportune time to have used this housing project to revamp State Housing Corporation, PWD and AESC? How was the costing arrived at? The approval of the STX project by our 230 honourable MPs if it is passed is tantamount to daylight robbery under the disguise of democracy and a show of power- yes as former president Rawlings puts it as ‘Ataa Ayi’. Despite all the cautionary submission by concerned people of this nation, the deal will have to be passed before 17July, when the Prime Minister of Korea visits the nation to cut the sod. No wonder, God allowed the Black Stars to be defeated so that the whole nation is not taken by surprise for the well calculated approval of this deal at this period of FIFA world cup excitement in our country. What is it that is affordable to majority of Ghanaians that the government claims the project will benefit our people? For numbers sake, if the lowest cost is say $15,000, at an interest rate of 39% per annum for a 25 year mortgage from HFC, will translate into $487/month or GHC 682/month. Reader, tell me which of our security forces, true civil servants and teachers can afford this amount from their salaries? Indeed, this amount is greater than most civil servants’ salaries! Before the government approves the STX deal, it must make sure that a civil servant’s salary is at least GHC1, 704, so that accommodation expends 40% of a worker’s salary . How can this solve the housing problem if these dynamics are not properly analysed? The same politicians will turn around and own these houses as the vicious cycle continues with 2 years advance payments. If parliament passes the deal, we still have President Mills to approve the deal. This is where all of us in this nation can attest to the true character and the real personality of Professor Mills-“The Jesus Christ of politicians”. We are highly optimistic and have faith in the learned Professor Mills that speaking slowly, coolly and shaking of heads do not depict the real person but as the saying goes, “Action they say speaks louder than words”. GREDA noted that “Given the nature of the deal (requiring government to off-take the initial 90,000 units), If the government fails to do so, or pay the initial $1.5 billion, STX can declare a frustration of the contract and repudiate it altogether, leaving us worse off, it must be noted that these are likely to happen in the next Government, and we don’t know who will be President then”. The issue is that, anyone above the age of forty can be President like me and we ask and plead with the government to circumspectly decipher the ramifications of the deal for the betterment of our nation and the future generation. The youth of this nation should therefore Unite and Move towards a change that we all can believe in. Ghana now needs United Movement comprising of Businesses, professionals, students, chiefs, religious leaders, Christian and Muslim youths to form a true socio-economic movement that can provide alternate solutions to critical decisions like the STX project. Oh, our honourable MPs, we understand that there is so much pressure on you to maintain your status in our society but please be thoughtful about the future generation and re-examine your decision in the light of what John Ruskin, an art critic, a social thinker, poet and artist once said: “Therefore, when we build, let us think that we build forever, let it not be for the present delight, nor for present use alone; let it be such work as our descendant will thank us for, and let us think as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come, when these stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them. And that man will say as they look upon our labour and wrought substance of them. see! This our fathers did for us “. United Movement for the youth must be inaugurated to mobilise energetic and critical thinking youth and young adults to protest against the visiting Korea Prime Minister that we cannot sell our birthright and that the government must clear the dark clouds over this deal. This is where we also appeal to our council of state members, religious leaders and chiefs to add their voices. By Jacob Osei Yeboah, an Engineer, Entrepreneur and Social Thinker