… seeks to address the housing deficit in the country
In a move guaranteed to significantly reduce the nation’s housing deficit, which currently stands at approximately 2 million units, youth-focused think-thank, Kandifo Institute has partnered with the Halzebatz SARL and Shelta Space for the Ghana Innovative Housing Project (GIHP).
The project aims at providing genuinely affordable houses, without compromising on quality, through the use of best-in-class prefabricated, modular houses.
Speaking at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to this effect, Executive Director at the Kandifo Institute, Palgrave Boakye-Danquah described the development as a ‘game-changer’.
While applauding successive governments’ attempts to provide affordable housing, he stated that these efforts have borne little fruit as they have been anything but affordable as most units cost more than 15 times the GDP per capita.
This, Mr. Boakye-Danquah, noted is largely due to the materials and structure of construction applied.
“Since the institution of the Ghana Affordable Housing Projects in 2005, various units of housing are under construction and at different stages of completion… and are pegged above GH¢80,000.00. Undoubtedly, these affordable housing projects are not priced to suit the average Ghanaian and this gaffe must be addressed to solve Ghana’s housing deficit.
The Ghana Innovative Housing project seeks to be the game-changer in affordable housing in Ghana because most regular houses tagged ‘affordable housing’ are not affordable to the average Ghanaian,” he explained.
With development institutions warning of grave consequences of high housing deficits due to rapid urbanisation, Mr. Boakye-Danquah said the situation requires a departure from what has hitherto been the norm, in search of innovative solutions.
“This project will provide rock- bottom priced modular- housing in Ghana and this is an incoming reality in Ghana where affordable housing really means affordable. Having stated some existing housing projects above, the Ghana Innovative Housing project seeks to implement extensive alternative, relatively affordable and environmentally friendly housing projects in addressing housing deficits in Ghana and across,” he said.
On his part, Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Shelta Space, Zuhur Ahmed Mohayideen also stated the grim statistics on housing deficits and their implications for quality of life, and security, amongst others, resulted in his outfits and Halzebatz SARL, to partner the Kandifo Institute in the GIHP initiative.
He added that the Project is designed to offer the government, realtors, and other stakeholders a much more holistic and sustainable approach to truly dealing with the housing deficit in real-time.
Business Developer at Hazebalt SARL, Aaron Boakye-Danquah, in his virtual address, said the project would not only provide housing but also, much-needed jobs in the construction sector, which has been battered by the pandemic.
The chairman of the event, Romeo Djan, whilst commending the three firms called for further research into the choice of local materials being used for the project and expressed optimism that it would gain traction across all regions in the country.
As part of the initiative, Kandifo Institute will provide policy direction for the Ghana Innovative Housing Project which targets low-income earners or the average Ghanaian. The project is expected to employ the use of very simple and innovative housing practices in building thereby creating jobs.
