COTE D'IVOIRE-HOUSING: THOUSANDS WIN FIGHT AGAINST EVICTION

ABIDJAN, Dic 27 (IPS) - WHEN COTE D'IVOIRE'S BIGGEST HOUSING COMPANY ANNOUNCED FOUR MONTHS AGO THAT IT WAS SELLING 20,000 OF ITS HOUSES, ITS TENANTS REJOICED, BELIEVING THEY WOULD SOON BE ABLE TO OWN THE HOMES SOME OF THEM HAD LIVED IN FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

THEIR JOY TURNED TO ANGER WHEN SICOGI, A STATE-OWNED COMPANY, SAID IT WOULD SELL THE HOUSES TO ANYONE WHO CAN AFFORD THEM AND NOT NECESSARILY TO EXISTING TENANTS.

AND, TO THEIR DISMAY, SICOGI DEMANDED THE EQUIVALENT OF 5,000 TO 8,000 U.S. DOLLARS, PAYABLE IN A LUMPSUM, FOR THE HOUSES, HUGE AMOUNTS IN A COUNTRY WHERE THE MONTHLY MINIMUM WAGE IS ABOUT 80 U.S. DOLLARS AND MOST PEOPLE EARN LESS THAN 270 U.S. DOLLARS A MONTH.

THE SICOGI TENANTS ASSOCIATION DESCRIBED THE OFFER AS A DISGUISED MOVE TO EVICT PEOPLE FROM HOMES WHICH, IN MANY CASES, THE HAD USED THEIR OWN RESOURCES TO DEVELOP.

THE STATE-OWNED COMPANY COUNTERED THAT IT HAD DECIDED TO SELL THE HOUSES ONLY TO THOSE WHO COULD PAY BECAUSE MOST TENANTS OWED UP TO 90 MONTHS' RENT AND SINCE IT NEEDED THE MONEY TO BUILD MORE HOMES.

"WE ARE RUNNING A DEFICIT OF BETWEEN TWO AND THREE BILLION CFA FRANCS (37 MILLION TO 55 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS) ANNUALLY BECAUSE OF DEFAULTING TENANTS," SICOGI REVEALED, ADDING THAT TOTAL ARREARS AMOUNTED TO THE EQUIVALENT OF 13 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS."

THE GOVERNMENT OF PRIME MINISTER DANIEL KABLAN DUNCAN SUSPENDED THE SALE IN LATE AUGUST AFTER THE TENANTS' ASSOCIATION DEMOSTRATED IN PROTEST AGAINST THE MOVE.

NOW, AFTER MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH SICOGI AND THE ASSOCIATION, GOVERNMENT HAS RULED THAT THE STATE FIRM MUST REDUCE ITS PRICES BY 20 TO 70 PERCENT, DEPENDING ON THE SIZES AND LOCATION OF THE HOUSES, SCATTERED IN TOWNS THROUGHOUT COTE D'IVOIRE.

IT HAS ALSO BEEN ORDERED SIGOCI TO GIVE ITS TENANTS UP TO FIVE YEARS TO PAY FOR THE HOUSES, DEPENDING ON THEIR MONTHLY INCOMES.

THE TENANTS' ASSOCIATION HAS WELCOMED THE DECISION. "WE CANNOT REFUSE TO PRAISE THE GOVERNMENT FOR ENSURING THAT 20,000 FAMILIES IN OUR COUNTRY CAN NOW HAVE PROPER HOMES," SAYS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT KUAODIO PIERRE.

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