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The government has outlined some eight priority areas aimed at ensuring the country’s housing challenges are addressed.
The areas include: reviving all stalled housing projects, fast track ongoing affordable housing project, initiate an expansion of public sector housing and securing and expanding land banks.
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Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (third from right), Ms Fatimatu Abubakar (fourth from left) with other dignitaries after the presser Photo: Stephanie Birikorang
The other four priority areas are developing Public Private Partnership framework to reduce the existing housing deficit, develop sustainable financing for housing projects, start of district housing programme and legal and policy framework.
Currently, the country’s housing deficit has been reduced from about 2.2million to 1.8million and to ensure that this figure does not shoot up, the eight announced priorities will help maintain the figure at equilibrium while efforts are made to drive it further down.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah who was taking his turn at the minister’s briefing organised by the Ministry of Information in Accra yesterday said one of the challenges that had confronted the housing sector was that over the years, not enough programmes had been put in place to address the situation.
In light of this, he said the Akufo-Addo government decided to be intentional about the issue of housing in the country.
He explained that a major setback for the housing sector in the country had been the phenomenon of stalled housing projects as a result, government since assuming office has committed to completing all the outstanding projects in the country.
Notable among these projects according to Mr Oppong Nkrumah were the Asokore Mampong and Borteyman Affordable Housing Projects in Kumasi and Accra, which were supported by SSNIT but stalled under the administration of the previous government.
He said his outfit handed over the Koforidua Affordable Housing project initiated by President John Agyekum Kufuor to the State Housing Company Limited for completion.
“The development includes 19 apartments comprising 54 One-bedroom and 288 Two-bedroom units and 36 shops,” he said.
Mr Oppong Nkrumah explained that the new approach was to overcome the challenges encountered by the previous developer, stressing that “Following the non-performance issues, a new developer has been selected through a rigorous evaluation process.”
The Minister said construction was set to resume soon and this reflected the government’s renewed commitment to advancing urban development in the Eastern Region.
On the Saglemi Housing Project, he said the government was close to restarting work following the submission of bids by five companies.
He said two companies out of the five were shortlisted for the final phase of negotiations, during which one would be selected to partner with the government to complete the housing project.
The Minister said government had procured 52,000 acres of land to serve as land banks for the housing sector and this was a major step forward towards the prioritisation of housing in the country.
He explained that the aim of his ministry was to transition to a Public-Private Partnership approach to facilitate the private sector’s participation to bridge the existing housing gap.
“For the PPP model to thrive, it is essential for the government to offer incentives to the private sector. Some proposed incentives include land grants to private developers, land as equity for allodial landowners, collaborative efforts in horizontal infrastructure, water, energy, and communication sectors, a 50% discount on construction finance, tax breaks, streamlined processes for construction permits, and the establishment of a centralised platform for master developers,” he emphasised.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
