Ghana told to reposition SHC to deliver homes ordinary citizens can afford

Kwame Kwaasi Danso, an architect and urban planning researcher, has urged Ghana to reposition the State Housing Company (SHC) as its flagship institution for affordable housing. Danso argued that Ghana's real challenge lies not in the absence of housing policies, but in the widening gap between housing supply and what low- and middle-income households can afford.

He highlighted that rapid urbanization had turned Ghana's housing shortage into an affordability crisis, with demand for decent homes growing faster than supply in urban areas like Accra, Kumasi, Kasoa, and Amasaman.

Ghana's national housing deficit is estimated at over 1.8 million units, while affordability constraints continue to exclude many low- and middle-income earners from formal housing markets. The rapid growth of the urban population, now exceeding 50%, has put immense pressure on housing, infrastructure, and public services. About 31% of urban Ghanaians live in informal settlements, underscoring the scale of the affordability challenge.

Danso emphasized that the State Housing Company, established in 1956, is one of Ghana's oldest public housing institutions with extensive experience in residential development. He proposed setting up a housing directorate focused on low- and middle-income households, establishing measurable affordability targets, and piloting innovative housing programs in rapidly urbanizing areas.

Collaboration with metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies, transparent beneficiary selection systems, digital allocation platforms, and stronger research into affordable construction technologies were also recommended.

Housing finance reform is crucial, as conventional mortgage systems often favor formally employed workers with stable incomes, excluding many informal-sector workers. Innovative financing solutions such as rent-to-own arrangements, cooperative housing schemes, micro-mortgages, shared-equity programs, and flexible payment systems tailored for people with irregular incomes should be explored.

Government agencies, financial institutions, and development partners should support these efforts through concessional financing, affordable-housing funds, risk guarantees, and targeted subsidies.

Countries like Singapore, Morocco, and Rwanda serve as examples of nations where strong public housing institutions, backed by clear mandates and sustainable financing, have improved housing affordability. Danso called for collaboration among government, Parliament, local authorities, financial institutions, development partners, and civil society to make the State Housing Company Ghana's flagship institution for inclusive, affordable housing delivery.