The State Housing Company has revealed plans to begin developing a parcel of land provided by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu, and the Omanhene of Sefwi Wiaso as part of a grand plan to provide affordable housing to Ghanaians.
This revelation is on the back of a media interaction with the Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta-Akyea who confirmed that Ghana’s housing deficit has reached an alarming rate of 2 million units.
According to the company, even though the 2 million figure quoted by the Housing Ministry might not depict the exact situation on the ground, its planned project will bridge the deficit gap.
Spokesperson for the State Housing Company, Gordon Asare Bediako made this plan known in an interview with Citi News, saying “We want to extend appreciation to Otumfuo Osei Tutu. He has given us a parcel of land in Kumasi. We are going to start a project very soon. …We are going to provide lots of houses for the people to occupy. The President was in Kumasi last year August to cut the sod for the construction of some estates.”
Ghana’s housing deficit has hit two million units.
This was revealed by the Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea.
By this, the government would have to build 190,000 to 200,000 units of houses each year for the next 10 years to bridge the gap.
This is expected to cost around US$3.4 billion for the 200,000 units.
The government announced an ambitious plan to establish a GH¢1 billion mortgage and housing finance to leverage private capital while providing affordable housing for Ghanaians.
The fund is also to help bring down the housing deficit.
Though the plan was announced in the 2019 Budget Statement and Economic Policy presented by the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the government is yet to implement it.
Addressing the media, Mr. Atta Akyea who confirmed that the housing deficit has reached 2 million units explained that there must a long term measure to solve the problem.
“Unfortunately, this is a sorry situation in which we find ourselves. No wonder we are struggling with a housing deficit which is now in excess of 2 million housing units,” he revealed.
To this end, the minister has inaugurated a national housing committee on affordable housing.
While inaugurating the board, Mr. Atta Akyea charged members to work resiliently to help bridge the housing gap.
The Committee members have till October 2020 to come up with relevant solutions to the housing crises.
The Committee chaired by Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, the sector Minister and supported by the Deputy Minister, Mrs Barbara Asher Ayisi, is tasked among other duties to identify and create land banks and help with land acquisition.
It is also expected to develop a policy to promote the building of communities and ensure equitable distribution of affordable houses, oversee infrastructure development such as roads, water and electricity connections to new sites and implement the social housing component.
The Committee is made up of representatives from the Ministries of Finance and Roads and Highways as well as the Architects Registration Council, Public Servants Housing Loan Scheme Board, Rural Housing Department, and Architectural and Engineering Services Limited.
Other representatives were from the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association, Ghana Water Company Limited, Power Distribution Services Ghana, and the Lands Commission.