GOVERNMENT has expressed its resolve to address the housing deficit and its related challenges in the country.
According to the Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, at a press briefing in Accra Sunday, statistics from the 2021 Population and Housing Census Report has revealed that although the sector made strides of positive growth over the medium term, with a marginal reduction in the housing deficit from 2 million housing units to 1.8 million, the housing delivery system has failed to meet the needs of the low-to-middle income group.
Additionally, the census report on Housing Characteristics revealed that approximately 12.7 percent of the total structures counted were vacant housing units, giving a clear indication that Ghana’s housing supply out-priced the average person in Ghana and failed to address the housing needs of a significant segment of society.
In addressing these challenges, the minister said government, acting through the State Housing Company Limited (SHCL), has commenced the preparation of the District Housing Programme for the construction of rental housing units at the district level for public servants.
The pilot phase will be implemented in sixteen districts across the sixteen regions of Ghana.
He added that his outfit has engaged the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as well as the Lands Commission regarding the repurposing of government acquired lands for the provision of affordable housing.
“Preparatory works are currently ongoing on the 403 acres of land secured at Pokuase/Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region and Dedesua in the Ashanti Region for the implementation of two pilot schemes.
Ghana Housing Authority
The minister also stressed on the need to “decouple the planning, development, and management of housing projects of the ministry from its core mandate of policy formulation, coordination, and monitoring the implementation of policies.”
That, he explained, would streamline the transition to the successful implementation of a government-led affordable housing programme.
To this end, Cabinet had given policy approval, for the establishment of the Ghana Housing Authority to, among other things, lead the supply side of the housing market and drive the implementation of government’s housing policy.
BY Nii Adjei Mensahfio