President John Dramani Mahama has broken ground for the construction of the Green City Housing Project at Dedesua near Kumasi, marking what Government describes as a major intervention to address Ghana’s growing housing deficit and expand access to affordable homes across the country.
The ambitious project, which is being undertaken by the State Housing Company Limited (SHCL), will deliver more than 1,000 housing units on a 200-acre parcel of land in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region.
The land for the project was made available by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, a gesture President Mahama described as a demonstration of the revered King’s enduring commitment to the welfare and development of the Ashanti people.
The President, speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony on Saturday, said the Green City Housing Project formed part of Government’s broader “Reset Agenda” aimed at transforming housing delivery, urban planning and infrastructure development across the country.
He noted that Ghana’s housing deficit, currently estimated at more than 1.5 million units, had become one of the country’s most pressing development challenges.
“Our national housing deficit is now estimated at over 1.5 million units. This reflects years of supply falling short of demand,” President Mahama stated.
According to him, rising land prices, escalating construction costs and limited access to affordable long-term financing had placed home ownership beyond the reach of many Ghanaians.
“The result is clear. Informal settlements continue to expand, slums are increasing and too many of our people are living in substandard conditions,” he said.
The President warned that rapid urbanisation was intensifying the pressure on housing delivery across the country.
He explained that more than half of Ghana’s population currently lived in urban areas and projected that by 2050, approximately 70% of the population would reside in cities and towns.
“Cities such as Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi will continue to experience rapid population growth due to migration,” he added.
Housing as a national development priority
President Mahama stressed that decent housing must not be treated as a privilege reserved for a few citizens but rather as a basic necessity tied directly to national development.
“At the centre of our vision is the belief that decent housing is not a privilege for a few but a right for all Ghanaians,” he said.
He explained that access to decent housing improved public health outcomes, strengthened educational performance, increased productivity and promoted stable communities.
“A nation that is seeking development must house its people with dignity,” he emphasised.
The President said Government was pursuing a comprehensive housing strategy focused on increasing supply, improving affordability, strengthening tenant protections and reforming housing finance systems to better reflect Ghanaian income realities.
He disclosed that the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, which was initiated under a previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, remained a priority for completion.
In addition, he announced that the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) would soon commence another housing project in Kumasi as part of efforts to decentralise housing delivery beyond Accra and Tema.
He recalled that in 2025 he cut the sod for TDC’s Oxygen City Housing Project in Ho in the Volta Region.
“When you hear Tema Development Corporation, it does not mean they operate only in Tema. They are spreading across the country,” President Mahama said.
“A few months ago, we were in Ho to cut the sod for a new housing project and the next destination is Ashanti.”
New worker housing scheme announced
President Mahama also unveiled plans for a new district-level social housing initiative targeted at public sector workers including teachers, nurses, doctors and civil servants.
He said the programme would be implemented in partnership with organised labour, financial institutions and the private sector to reduce barriers to home ownership for workers.
“A low-cost housing scheme for public sector workers is being implemented in partnership with organised labour and financial institutions,” he announced.
According to the President, the initiative would be backed by a GH¢3 billion revolving fund involving Government, the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), organised labour and Republic Bank Ghana.
Under the arrangement, housing developers including SHCL and TDC would receive financing from the fund to construct homes, while banks would provide long-term mortgage facilities to workers.
“Companies like SHC, TDC and all the housing companies will be given credit from this fund to build houses, and then the banks will give mortgages for their workers to buy the houses and pay over a 15-to-20-year period,” he explained.
President Mahama further disclosed that all mortgages under the scheme would be denominated in cedis rather than dollars.
He said the decision was intended to protect homeowners from exchange rate volatility which historically caused mortgage obligations to increase sharply whenever the cedi weakened.
“The houses will be indexed in cedis and not dollars,” he said.
“If one takes a mortgage on the house, it will be in cedis and not in dollars.”
The President expressed confidence that the recent stabilisation of the cedi and declining inflation rates would help keep housing costs relatively stable.
“This is a Ghanaian solution designed for Ghanaian realities,” he stressed.
Green City project to create jobs
President Mahama said beyond providing accommodation, the Green City Housing Project would stimulate local economic activity and create employment opportunities across the Bosomtwe District.
“This is not just about shelter. It is about building a complete community that is safe, affordable and dignified,” he said.
The project, he explained, combines modern architectural designs with environmental sustainability and is intended to set a new benchmark for urban development in Ghana.
He also used the occasion to invite Ghanaians living abroad to invest in the project.
According to him, the housing units would be available to both residents and members of the diaspora seeking secure property ownership opportunities in Ghana.
“Here you will get your house built for you complete, you collect your key, there is no litigation on the land and nobody will come and demolish your house,” he said.
The President added that the project demonstrated Ghana’s commitment to transparency and public-private partnerships in the housing sector.
“To our partners and private investors, this project signals Ghana’s commitment to transparency, predictability and partnership,” he said.
Govt absorbs infrastructure costs
In a significant policy announcement, President Mahama directed the Minister for Roads and Highways to absorb the cost of roads, drainage systems and related infrastructure at the Green City site under Government’s flagship “Big Push” infrastructure programme.
The directive followed an appeal by the Managing Director of SHCL, Mr John Sheriff Bawah.
President Mahama said removing those costs from the housing project itself would help lower final house prices and make the units more affordable to prospective homeowners.
“If we do not do this, the cost will be added to the houses and make them more expensive,” he explained.
“The Government will therefore take up the cost of building all roads, gutters and drains in this estate under the Big Push programme.”
Otumfuo releases more land for housing
The President also announced that the Asantehene had released additional land to the Tema Development Corporation for another housing development project in Kumasi.
He praised Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for supporting Government’s housing agenda and commended the traditional leadership of the Ashanti Kingdom for prioritising development.
“The Ashanti Kingdom remains the enduring heart of Ghana’s cultural heritage, defined by resilience, wisdom and a deep commitment to progress,” President Mahama stated.
Representing the Asantehene at the event, Daasebre Osei Bonsu III, the Mamponghene, warned chiefs and individuals against interfering with lands allocated for the project.
He cautioned that any attempt to sabotage or encroach on the project lands would be dealt with firmly.
SHCL revival
President Mahama also commended the management of the State Housing Company Limited for revitalising the operations of Ghana’s oldest public housing developer.
He noted that since independence, SHCL had remained the single largest provider of housing units in the country.
The President reaffirmed Government’s determination to support SHCL to deliver affordable housing projects in all regions of Ghana.
“Housing is dignity expressed in concrete and iron. It is the foundation upon which communities grow and nations thrive,” he stated.
“And as we break ground today, let us do so with confidence in our resolve and faith in our collective ability to build not only homes but better lives.”
