Ministry of Works and Housing is leveraging private sector resources, experiences and expertise to provide the needed infrastructure to bridge the housing deficit.
The government has, therefore, resolved to provide the desired environment to attract private sector investments into the housing sector.
The Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, who announced this at the commissioning of phase I of the SUCASA O’GRANTSON residential community in Accra, noted that the Ministry would not relent on its efforts to ensure growth in the housing industry.
“The Ministry is in constant engagement with indigenous, as well as foreign partners and developers, on possible collaborations to reduce the housing deficit, create an opportunity to promote continuous growth and development in the construction and housing industry,” he added.
On initiatives being undertaken by the government to transform the housing industry, the sector Minister stated that the Ministry was poised to enact legislation to address institutional gaps and create the appropriate platform for best practices.
Mr Asenso-Boakye cited the intention of the Ministry to establish the Ghana Housing Authority to regulate, plan and manage housing developments in collaboration with private sector developers.
The Minister expressed optimism that the implementation of the new National Rent Assistance Scheme (NRAS) would go a long way to reduce the housing deficit, which currently stands at 1.8 million housing units.
He said the NRAS is to support deserving households, especially the youth to access decent rental accommodation and to protect them from undue exploitation from homeowners.
“The scheme was introduced in response to wide public outcry against years of rent advance payment, which has become a major challenge to the majority of Ghanaians, especially those living in urban areas,” he stressed.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
