After seven years of gathering rich experience in the home financing and banking sector, he decided to call it time on a profession that had great growth prospects for him. A job that would assure him of the goodies of life and offer a relaxing pension.
After national service, he was fortunate to be absorbed by Ghana Home Loans and later GHL Bank which has metamorphosed into FNBBank; one of the most profitable institutions on the continent.
But the desire to call time on his illustrious carrear was one that was a difficult one to make considering the risk associated with the dream he wanted to see come to pass; THE DREAM OF OFFERING AFFORDABLE HOUSES.
Birthing Dream
Kwame Obeng Adjinah said in an interview with the B&FT that: “As a collateral officer at the Ghana Home Loans, I got the opportunity to advise real estate investors and developers on what to build, how to build and where to build to attract a certain market.
During my work, I realized the opportunity in providing affordable housing. It was risky so many people shied away, but a careful calculation of the risk offered a great opportunity.
It bothered me that majority of the population are in the middle to lower class and many of them may not be able to own a home considering the economic architecture. I found a partner who shared my dream and we have made it possible for thousands of public sector workers to live the dream of being homeowners.”
He noted that the capital-intensive nature of the sector is one that makes him and his team always want to cross all Ts and dot all the time before making a move.
When the time was right, Wood Acres Limited, a property consulting and development company was formed.
Wood Acres Limited
Upon its formation, the firm zoomed straight into delivering affordable service plots and homes. Already, Wood Acres and the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) have a partnership engineered by a partner firm, The Omri Projekts Ltd.
Currently, an affordable land sale project is ongoing for all members of GRNMA. About 1,500 people have benefited from this project and the numbers are certain to go up in days to come. Also, a site has been secured at Amanfrom, just at the outskirt of Grater Accra – between Aburi and Nsawam – for the building of affordable homes for workers.
According to Mr. Obeng Adjinah, support from financial institutions locally and international development financial institution is needed to help in escalating the project which shows great potential and would significantly contribute to bridging the nation’s housing deficit which currently stands at about 2 million units.
“If we get access to cheap funding from government as well, we would be able to bridge that gap governments struggles to cover in the provision of affordable housing. We can’t do all but may be something from us to help reduce the number will go a long way to help.”
Pricing
He said for the demarcated plots being offered by Wood Acres and The Omri Projekts, the lowest is about GH₵7,000 located close to prime areas that ordinarily would offer the lands a much higher cost. The litigation-free lands are also registered for the individuals at a subsidized cost.
For affordable housing, a two-bedroom is going for a low as GH₵110,000 with a 5, 10, and 15 years installment payment plan.
“The pricing was done with the salary of the ordinary public servant in mind. We believe that no matter how low it is if you are diligent and want to own a home, we can support you to make the dream come true,” he said.
Beneficiaries
He said the business plan of the company is one that prefers working with groups or associations than individuals to help maximize the opportunity.
“Police, Fire Service, Teachers, Health workers, cooperatives and other groups like these are our target. Once you come to us as a group, we are able to give better deals that are more affordable,” he said.
He noted that the collaboration with Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has been a success and it is the hope of the company to build on that to serve many other groups and associations.
Tenementz
Obeng Adjinah did not stop at Wood Acres, another Real Estate Firm he manages is Tenementz – which is a web portal. Kwame describes Tenementz as the one-stop-shop for all things real estate.
It has diverse properties listed on its platform, they offer mortgage brokerage services, connect you to agents, property developers, agencies, and service providers. Tenementz, among other things, seeks to solve the widely publicized inconveniences that come with acquiring or renting property, for both buyers and sellers.
The team consists of young and ambitious professionals. Kwame said, the platform also offers knowledge on how to become a real estate professional. The platform can be reached via www.tenementz.com or download Tenementz Mobile App on Google Playstore or Apple’s Appstore.
Future
Mr. Obeng Adjinah said he and his team want to be remembered as playing a key role in providing affordable homes. As a result, they consistently think around how to better their operations to make the lives of their clients better.
He also aims that through Tenementz a lot of knowledge would be available on the sector just as a click of a button and also home seekers would go through less stress in the quest to get a place of abode.
Advice youth
He noted that now more than ever, there is the opportunity for the youth to be driven by their passion. “Get an experience, forge partnerships, and move. You may make mistakes but this is the time that you can make the mistakes and correct them,” he said
Kwame’s bio
Married with a son to Grace Obeng Adjinah, Kwame is a native of Basengele, a small town in the Western North Region near Bibiani. Just like most Ghanaian youth, he went through the Ghana education system aspiring to one day secure a high-paying job preferably at a bank.
He completed KNUST with a Bachelor’s degree in Land Economy and afterward worked for Ghana Home loans as a Junior Collateral Management Analyst.
He was famously known as a member of “the big six”; a group of young men who worked so hard and diligently that they became the cornerstone of a company that had existed and thrived for years.
A good start for a young man fresh from school, aiming to leave a mark in the banking industry. With determination and an exceptional work ethic, he eventually became the Lead Property Valuer of the continental banking giants FNB Ghana.
Kwame is an old student of the famous Ghana National College, Cape Coast, a Chartered Valuation and Estate Surveyor certified by the Ghana Institution of Surveyors, and a Professional Alternative Dispute Resolution Practitioner with specialty in real estate dispute resolution and management.
