Housing Authority to address affordable housing challenges

The Ministry of Works and Housing believes the surest way to bring a stop to the abandoning of the government’s housing projects is to establish a Housing Authority.

The Ministry believes such an Authority will implement housing policies, and ensure that there is a continuation of housing projects whenever there is a change of government.

This comes on the back of the controversy surrounding the abandoned Saglemi Housing Project, which the government has decided to sell to a private sector entity.

The 2009 200,000-unit housing deal the government struck with South Korean conglomerate STX Corp also failed.

Speaking at the 2022 Ghana Property Awards, the Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Abdulai Abanga, said the Authority will ensure that professionals undertake affordable housing projects in the country.

“The conception, management and planning of these projects were not handled by professionals but rather influence by political considerations. So we are hoping that when the Ghana Housing Authority is established, we will have highly qualified professionals to undertake affordable housing implementations,” he said.

“The government-led housing projects, which normally suffer in implementation, causing them to be stalled and abandoned, when there is a change of government, should be a thing of the past,” Mr Abanga added.

Improvement

Ghana’s housing deficit has improved in recent times from two million to 1.8 million.

The Ministry of Works and Housing recently announced the establishment of land banks to provide the needed infrastructural services for affordable housing projects across the country.

The Ministry says the land banks would offer private sector investments to enable the construction of affordable housing units for low-income earners.