Govt. plans to provide 1,500 houses
By Kofi AHOVI & Solace AMANKWA
The government has drawn up a plan to provide 1,500 housing units to its workers nationwide from the third quarter of this year.
The housing units would be put up across the country to ensure equal distribution, Businessweek has gathered.
It also includes the construction of 10,000 safe, decent and low income affordable housing units on 74 acres of land at Nsakina, near Amasaman in the Ga East District, which has been awarded to Messrs Agu Resources.
The plan is different from the 200,000 housing-unit project secured by the Vice President, John Mahama, in South Korea recently.
The housing units would be offered for mortgage to workers by the Home Finance Company Bank (HFC). The provision of the housing units is to curtail and eventually bridge the housing gap, which is currently estimated to be in a deficit of one million.
The plan is multi-pronged, addressing issues of financing, land acquisition, the use of alternative building materials and deployment of environmental technology.
It is geared towards reducing the deficit by deploying technologies that would help to reduce the cost of construction and ensure durability of the houses. It will also ensure speed and accuracy.
A source at the Water Resources, Works and Housing ministry told BusinessWeek that the materials to be used are earthquake resistant.
“These materials have been tested and proved to be very effective,” the source stated.
The plan would use about 90% of local content materials and personnel for this project so as to boost the local economy, as well as create more jobs.
The previous government started an affordable housing project but was later faced with some challenges.
The projects were being implemented in six sites, notably Borteyman and Kpone in the Greater Accra Region, Asokore-Mampong in the Ashanti Region, Koforidua in the Eastern Region, Tamale in the Northern Region and Wa in the Upper West Region respectively. A total of 5,162 housing units were under construction.
The then government planned to build a total of 600 housing units, under the first phase, in the six regional capitals of Sunyani, Sekondi/Takoradi, Ho, Bolgatanga and Cape Coast, in the Brong-Ahafo, Western, Volta, Upper East and Central regions respectively.
Meanwhile, the security agencies in the country are expected to benefit from the affordable housing projects scheduled to take off in April, this year.
The agencies have been specifically set aside to benefit from the phase one of the project, which would provide about 5,000 public housing units.
In addition, 300 executive-type buildings would also be constructed for members of Parliament and other government officials.
To this end, a US$10 billion Memorandum of Understanding have been signed by Vice President John Dramani Mahama on behalf of Ghana for the 200,000 housing- unit project
The project, which will start in April this year, is expected to reduce the crippling national housing deficit pegged at one million units.
These houses would be located 45 kilometres east of Accra on 200 acres of land in the Tema metropolis and will comprise several one to four storey buildings.
The Phase Two will roll out 13,000 public outstanding loan housing units which would be built specifically for the middle class.
This phase will also include sports facilities, commercial space and public welfare services.
Available statistics indicate that there is an acute shortage of over
400,000 units of houses nationwide, while the supply capacity is estimated
to be 42,000 units per annum.
On the average, the annual national housing requirement is 140,000 units
with a supply of about 45,000 units per annum. The project when completed will significantly reduce Ghana’s housing problems.
By Kofi AHOVI & Solace AMANKWA
The government has drawn up a plan to provide 1,500 housing units to its workers nationwide from the third quarter of this year.
The housing units would be put up across the country to ensure equal distribution, Businessweek has gathered.
It also includes the construction of 10,000 safe, decent and low income affordable housing units on 74 acres of land at Nsakina, near Amasaman in the Ga East District, which has been awarded to Messrs Agu Resources.
The plan is different from the 200,000 housing-unit project secured by the Vice President, John Mahama, in South Korea recently.
The housing units would be offered for mortgage to workers by the Home Finance Company Bank (HFC). The provision of the housing units is to curtail and eventually bridge the housing gap, which is currently estimated to be in a deficit of one million.
The plan is multi-pronged, addressing issues of financing, land acquisition, the use of alternative building materials and deployment of environmental technology.
It is geared towards reducing the deficit by deploying technologies that would help to reduce the cost of construction and ensure durability of the houses. It will also ensure speed and accuracy.
A source at the Water Resources, Works and Housing ministry told BusinessWeek that the materials to be used are earthquake resistant.
“These materials have been tested and proved to be very effective,” the source stated.
The plan would use about 90% of local content materials and personnel for this project so as to boost the local economy, as well as create more jobs.
The previous government started an affordable housing project but was later faced with some challenges.
The projects were being implemented in six sites, notably Borteyman and Kpone in the Greater Accra Region, Asokore-Mampong in the Ashanti Region, Koforidua in the Eastern Region, Tamale in the Northern Region and Wa in the Upper West Region respectively. A total of 5,162 housing units were under construction.
The then government planned to build a total of 600 housing units, under the first phase, in the six regional capitals of Sunyani, Sekondi/Takoradi, Ho, Bolgatanga and Cape Coast, in the Brong-Ahafo, Western, Volta, Upper East and Central regions respectively.
Meanwhile, the security agencies in the country are expected to benefit from the affordable housing projects scheduled to take off in April, this year.
The agencies have been specifically set aside to benefit from the phase one of the project, which would provide about 5,000 public housing units.
In addition, 300 executive-type buildings would also be constructed for members of Parliament and other government officials.
To this end, a US$10 billion Memorandum of Understanding have been signed by Vice President John Dramani Mahama on behalf of Ghana for the 200,000 housing- unit project
The project, which will start in April this year, is expected to reduce the crippling national housing deficit pegged at one million units.
These houses would be located 45 kilometres east of Accra on 200 acres of land in the Tema metropolis and will comprise several one to four storey buildings.
The Phase Two will roll out 13,000 public outstanding loan housing units which would be built specifically for the middle class.
This phase will also include sports facilities, commercial space and public welfare services.
Available statistics indicate that there is an acute shortage of over
400,000 units of houses nationwide, while the supply capacity is estimated
to be 42,000 units per annum.
On the average, the annual national housing requirement is 140,000 units
with a supply of about 45,000 units per annum. The project when completed will significantly reduce Ghana’s housing problems.
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