MMDAs must help close Ghana’s housing gap
Ghana’s housing challenge is too large and too urgent to be left entirely to central government. With the national housing deficit estimated at more than 1.8 million units, there is a clear need for innovative solutions at every level of governance.
That is why President John Dramani Mahama’s call for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to use part of their Internally Generated Funds (IGF) and Common Fund to develop rental housing deserves serious consideration.
For many Ghanaians, owning or renting a decent home has become increasingly difficult. High house prices, substantial rent advances and the cost of mortgage financing have placed adequate housing beyond the reach of many ordinary families.
The President’s proposal offers MMDAs an opportunity to become part of the solution. By investing in rental accommodation, assemblies could provide affordable housing for residents and workers posted to their jurisdictions while creating a sustainable source of revenue.
This is particularly important because housing is not simply about buildings. As President Mahama aptly put it, “Behind every housing statistic is a person or family seeking security and hoping for a better future.”
The Ghanaian Times agrees that housing policies must therefore go beyond increasing the number of houses constructed. Affordability must remain at the centre of the national housing conversation. There is little value in expanding the housing stock if ordinary Ghanaians cannot afford to live in those homes.
The President’s proposal to identify unfinished houses across the country also presents an interesting opportunity. Thousands of partially completed properties remain scattered across the country. Providing the necessary financing to owners to complete such houses could bring existing housing stock into use while helping families move from renting into home ownership.
The suggested approach of having engineers and architects assess the properties, prepare bills of quantities and determine the financing needed could provide a structured basis for such an intervention.
Government’s planned allocation of GH¢1 billion in the 2027 Budget towards a GH¢3 billion revolving National Housing Fund is another significant step.
The Fund, together with initiatives such as rent-to-own schemes and the proposed Easy Rent programme, could broaden access to housing finance.
However, the success of these initiatives will depend on effective implementation.
The National Housing Fund must develop financing options that respond to the realities of different income groups, including informal workers, rather than relying predominantly on conventional mortgage products.
The concerns raised by the National Housing Fund and Shelter Afrique Development Bank also underline the importance of collaboration. Government, MMDAs, financial institutions and developers must work together because the scale of the housing deficit is beyond the capacity of any single institution.
The district housing programme being piloted in eight districts should also provide useful lessons for expanding locally driven housing solutions.
The Ghanaian Times therefore urges MMDAs to take the President’s call seriously and explore practical housing investments suited to their respective communities. They must identify available opportunities, use their resources prudently and work with credible partners to deliver affordable accommodation.
Ghana’s housing deficit will not disappear overnight. But with innovative financing, stronger local participation and sustained commitment, meaningful progress can be made.
The challenge now is to turn ideas into homes that ordinary Ghanaians can genuinely afford.
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