Kwaku Antwi-Boasiako writes: UK’s £39bn social housebuilding programme – Any lessons for Ghana?

The UK government has unveiled an ambitious £39bn social housebuilding programme, with the aim of constructing 300,000 social and affordable homes nationwide. Over the next decade, 70,000 of these homes will be built in England, amounting to almost £10bn in initial funding.

In contrast, Ghana's approach to affordable housing has been markedly less successful. When our nation borrowed $200 million in 2012 to build 5,000 affordable homes, only 1,500 units were completed by 2027, a span of 15 years. As of now, President Akufo-Addo claims that just 1,500 units would be finished by the end of 2027.

Comparing the outcomes, it's evident that the UK's programme has been significantly more effective in delivering housing for its citizens. One cannot help but wonder if there are lessons to be learned from the UK's experience that could benefit Ghana in its own housing challenges.

The NPP/Akufo-Addo Administration must account for why it took them eight years to complete the Saglemi Housing Project, while the NDC/Mills-Mahama Administration failed to finish projects started by the Kufuor Administration before embarking on the Saglemi project. Citizens of both countries deserve clear answers to these questions.