President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has launched the revised National Affordable Housing Programme at Pokuase-Afiaman in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
Dubbed: “My home, my peace” the new housing programme seeks to construct about 14,000 subsidised housing units for prospective buyers.
The programme which is being undertaken by government in collaboration with the private sector will comprise 8000 units at Pokuase-Afiaman and 6000 units at Dedesua in the Ashanti Region.
As part of the collaboration, government is to provide the land and on-site infrastructure, while the private sector is expected to complement this by raising the needed funds for the building of apartments on a cost recovery basis.
In all five private companies made up of Rehoboth Properties Limited, Frankpauls Ventures Company Limited, State Housing Company Limited, Devtraco Group Limited and Addoha Group have signed on to the programme and are expected to complete the first 8000 units to be constructed on the 203 acre land at Afiaman-Pokuase within the next 14 months.
Launching the programme at Pokuase-Afiaman yesterday, President Akufo-Addo said the project was a further testament of his government’s unwavering commitment to address the pressing housing needs of hard working Ghanaians.
He said the housing project embodied the dedication of government to prioritise housing as a fundamental need of the people, stressing that “Together we are breaking down barriers and creating pathways for our citizens regardless of our circumstances to access homes.”
President Akufo-Addo said it was significant to note that the initiative marked a positive collaboration between government and the private sector, as it adopts different approach from previous government housing projects where government had funded both essential infrastructure and the housing units.
He said the new framework focused on improving the overall ecosystem of housing delivery by addressing both the supply and demand sides of the housing market and the objective was not just to increase the production of affordable units and establish a reliable and sustainable demand side of the housing market accessible to all Ghanaians, but ensure that homes were readily available to all segments of society including our hardworking labour unions both formal and informal and fellow citizens residing in the Diaspora,” he emphasised.
Touching on the Saglemi Housing Project, the President said even as the country celebrated this new framework there was the need to address the Saglemi Housing Project, adding that the government would require about $46million to complete the off-site infrastructure works involving water, electricity and storm drains to mitigate flooding.
In addition, he said a further $68million to complete the building and other essential on-site infrastructure works like waste holding bay, sewage treatment plan and other economic and civic infrastructure such school, clinic and shop was required.
On his part the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Assenso Baokye, said the launch of the programme marked a significant milestone in the country’s quest to provide decent, quality and affordable housing for Ghanaians.
He said government recognised the fundamental role that housing played in promoting social cohesion, economic growth and the overall wellbeing of Ghanaians.
Mr Boakye said the revised policy formed part of the vision of the President to provide mass affordable housing to the people and his outfit was committed to ensuring that, that charge was achieved.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL