Government to grant its request for 2,000 acres of land “affordable houses”

The Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) has reiterated calls on the government to grant its request for 2,000 acres of land to enable it to construct affordable houses for the people.

The Executive Secretary of GREDA, Mr Samuel Amegayibor, who made the call in an interview, said the request was made earlier this year but was yet to be worked on by the government.

He explained that the initiative was part of a series of measures by GREDA to ensure the provision of affordable houses to the teeming home seekers in the country.

He was speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra on the sidelines of the GREDA-Stanbic Bank Housing Fair, which gave patrons the opportunity to showcase their products to the general public.

Mr Amegayibor explained that the 2,000 acres was needed to be shared among members who would individually develop it and then sell to interested people at lower prices.

“The whole idea is to get land at one place where members will operate from so that it can reduce the cost they incur acquiring lands individually,” he said.

“We know that developing in isolation increases the cost of the properties. For instance, each member spends to provide infrastructure such as water, roads, electricity and others, but if we get one place, all those costs will be out and it will ultimately mean lower prices for buyers,” Mr Amegayibor explained.

The GREDA-Stanbic Exhibition Housing Fair gave members, real estate developers and allied service providers the opportunity to showcase their products to the general public.

It was opened by the Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Johnny Osei Kofi, who commended the two institutions for the partnership.

GREDA, the umbrella body of real estate developers in the country, has over the years staged similar exhibitions for members to market their products, find buyers and network.

This year’s event was, however, spiced up by the coming on board of Stanbic Bank, which offers mortgage services to people wishing to buy houses.

In all, about 70 institutions from the real estate, input suppliers, home appliance and automobile dealers participated in the two-day event.

The GREDA’s Executive Secretary explained that the decision to include automobile, home appliances and input suppliers was to ensure that the association and Stanbic Bank provided a complete housing package to people interested in real estate.

The Managing Director of Stanbic Bank, Mr Alhassan Andani, emphasised the bank’s resolve to work with the association to help bridge the housing deficit, which is estimated at 1.7 million units.

Source: Graphic Online