The Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Mr Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, has disclosed that government has selected a developer to complete the stalled Saglemi Affordable Housing Project.
He said the Ministry had intensified and concluded engagements with the selected developer and was currently awaiting advice from the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice before the commencement of works.
“Following the completion of the developer selection process led by Deloitte Ghana, the Heads of Terms have been duly signed by both parties. The joint venture arrangement has been concluded among all parties, and the Shareholders’ Agreement drafted and mutually agreed upon.
“The document is currently with the Attorney-General for review and finalisation,” he explained.
Mr Adjei made this known at the Presidency in Accra yesterday when he took his turn at the Government Accountability Series.
The US$200 million Saglemi project, initiated by the John Mahama administration in 2012 to deliver 5,000 housing units, stalled in 2017 due to funding and contractual challenges.
According to the Minister, the Mahama administration is determined to complete the project and make the housing units available to Ghanaians as part of efforts to address the country’s housing deficit, estimated at over 1.8 million units.
Beyond the Saglemi project, Mr Adjei said the State Housing Company Limited was continuing work on key developments, including the Surge Homes project at Amrahia and the SHC Gardens projects, which are 68 per cent and 70 per cent complete, respectively.
He added that as part of measures to increase housing stock nationwide, the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) was expanding operations beyond Accra, with its first out-of-capital project underway in Ho, and plans to explore other regions.
Under the National Homeownership Fund Scheme, the Minister said 129 housing units at Tema Community 22 had been completed and were awaiting commissioning, while an additional 50 units at Shai Hills were expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of the year.
On rental housing, Mr Adjei said the review of the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220) and the Rent Control Law, 1986 (P.N.D.C.L. 138) was ongoing to modernise outdated legislation, remove regulatory bottlenecks and incentivise private sector investment.
“Key priorities include maintaining tenant protections, especially for low-income and vulnerable groups, while also regulating hostel accommodation fees across the country,” he stated.
He further revealed that the National Rental Assistance Scheme, which provides rent advances to eligible beneficiaries, had facilitated rent payments for 2,031 Ghanaians across its six operational regions, bringing the total number of beneficiaries since its inception in 2023 to 4,732.
“I am glad to state that the disbursement recovery rate stands at about 99 per cent, indicating that government’s seed money is fully recoverable and remains in circulation,” he said.
Mr Adjei assured that despite resource constraints, government remained resolute in delivering transformative policies, programmes and projects that would positively impact the lives of Ghanaians.
By Julius Yao Petetsi
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