The government is embarking on a new housing initiative called the Revised National Housing Programme, which aims to construct 8,000 new affordable housing units.
The Works and Housing Minister, Francis Asenso-Boakye, announced during the 2nd Green Building and Research Conference in Accra that the Revised National Housing Programme will be a public-private partnership. The initiative comes in response to Ghana’s estimated housing deficit of 2 million units.
The Minister indicated that this housing programme will be different from previous attempts.
He stated, “It will be a public-private partnership, and the government is providing free land and infrastructure, which will reduce construction costs by 40%.”
“The good news is that we are making sure that all the materials used are environmentally sustainable and eco-friendly.”
The housing project will focus on completing 8,000 housing units in Pokuase, located in the Ga West Municipality. This development will address past challenges and setbacks encountered in previous affordable housing programs.
However, the total cost of the project has not been disclosed by the Minister.
The 2nd Annual Green Building Conference, which took place under the theme ‘Mobilising support for the Roll-out of the STI4SHS Roadmap and advances an African Green Building and development agenda.
Only 23 buildings in Ghana are currently green-certified, and there is a call for policy measures to encourage the use of eco-friendly materials in public structures.
Director of the Green Building Conference, Prof. Emmanuel Bamfo Agyei, stressed the need for utilizing local materials like bricks and coconut fiber mesh to reduce CO2 emissions and promote cooler indoor environments, considering the impact of climate change.
The conference brought together participants from various African countries, including South Africa and Germany, encompassing both academicians and politicians.
