The Government’s signature project, the STX Housing project is remaining an albatross on the neck of the government as the parties who were expected to reach a settlement today went to court still holding onto their positions. This is because the parties, directed by the commercial court presided over by Justice Gertrude Torkonoo, to reach a settlement which will be adopted by the court have failed to reach an agreement The Ghanaian principals after falling out with their Korean partners are seeking to pay them off and replace them with a US firm, Western Forms Technology. The first phase of the project is aiming to build 30 thousand housing units, but not a single one of them has to date, been built due to some of the challenges that have come up. Even though the STX housing deal was approved by parliament in August last year, it was not until the 14th of December that year that the government and the Korean Construction firm STX, officially signed the formal agreement for the construction of the 30,000 housing units for the security services. The signing ceremony at the International Conference Centre between the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alban Sumana Bagbin and the STX counterparts however came after a protracted and acrimonious debate in Parliament which finally approved the deal on the stroke of midnight. The minority, led by Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu withdrew from the approval, arguing that the contract was not in the best interest of the country. This however did not stop the majority who voted overwhelmingly to support it. Not a single brick has been laid since the signing, but government is not perturbed. Minister for Works and Housing, Alban Bagban is however urging the partners to settle their differences or risk losing the deal entirely. That settlement should have come today at the commercial court which is expected to uphold the dissolution of the partnership between JK Airports, the Ghanaian firm and its foreign partner, STX Korea. But the court could not reach decision on the matter because major differences remain between the parties. Joy News’ Sammy Darko, who was in court reported that the court at its last sitting had instructed the parties to reach an agreement before today’s sitting. The parties however came to still with major disagreements. The Koreans are not accepting the offer given them by the local partners. Sammy Darko said the local partners were visibly unhappy with situation. He said fresh attempts at arbitration are being considered.