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Deputy Minister for Agriculture, in-charge of Animal Husbandry, Alfred Sugri Tia, Wednesday admitted ownership of a five-acre waterlog land, located at the Tema Golf City Estates, on which he is putting up a 20-room mansion. Though the building project, according to neighbours started recently, the Deputy Minister, in a curious submission, told Citi FM and Joy FM Wednesday that he was constructing the housing project for his former poultry farm workers who were laid off when the farm was shut down in 2007. �The Minister is only playing politics. He is struggling to show that he started the project before his appointment. But we live here with the floods and we know when he started. How come his men are working day and night, four years after he shut down the poultry if indeed this mansion is to provide accommodation for them?� commented a Golf City Estates resident yesterday. Even though a building consultant puts the housing project at GHC2.5 million (25 billion old cedis), the Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Nalerigu/Gambaga, insists the 20-room mansion will not cost more than GH�100,000. The NDC has been putting up a basic 6-unit classroom block at GH�220,000 in Tema. Speaking on Accra based Joy FM, Dr Tia stunned his listeners when he said he was not sure of the number of rooms in the building, even though he had earlier said on Citi FM that the building contained 15 rooms. �The rooms are about 18 thereabout; it could be 20; I am not too certain,� he told listeners Joy FM.Neighbours of Dr Tia say they live in danger of having their homes and belongings drowned in floods because of the decision by the Minister to put up the massive 20-room building on a water way in the area. They blame the unusual flooding of the area in recent times on the fact that the Minister�s building has eaten into a part of a bridge, blocking the free flow of water.Over 30 detached houses in the area suffer from severe floods whenever there is a heavy downpour, a situation which the residents say is getting worse and damaging their property. �We never used to face this problem before the Minster and his wife started their building project,� lamented a neighbour who refused to be named for fear of reprisals. When the New Statesman visited the area, workers were busily at work and neighbours were busily complaining. Work on the site goes on nonstop, day and night, seven times a week, according to residents. Most obviously affected by the waterway blockade is the Delawen Poultry Farm, located right opposite the Minister�s building. The animal husbandry lost over 10,000 birds and hundreds of sheep at an estimated cost of GHc70, 000. This loss, according to sources at the farm, occurred during the recent rains. Some resident say the Minister has ignored all their complaints. �He�s serious about showing us where power lies and we are seriously reeling from it,� one resident cried. After several complaints, including clear warnings from the Tema Development Corporation and the Tema Municipal Assembly, construction on the waterway stopped. But, this was only for a short period before work resumed full steam. Our checks at both the TMA and TDC suggest that the authorities have been impressed upon �to allow the Minister to break the law�, said a TDC source, and �to get away with murder,� added a TMA insider. Yaw Kudjorji, a resident, shared his frustration with our reporter. He said the residents were tired of making official complaints to both the TDC and TMA because �nothing happens.� His fear was that things could get worse as the raining season kicks in and the flooding could cause more havoc than so far endured. Another resident could not hide her anger and exasperation. �We are afraid that any rainfall can flood all our houses due to one man�s negligence and power as a Minister,� said Madam Florence Donkor.