High-quality homes to be produced by local factories and constructed with energy-efficient solar rooftops. Site to include school, medical centre, shops and sports facilities.
The development of 6,500 homes has begun in Amasaman, near Accra, in the first part of an ambitious project by the government of Ghana, UNOPS and Sustainable Housing Solutions (SHS) Holdings, to build 200,000 affordable and sustainable homes.
The project will support the local economy and help reduce the country’s current housing deficit of two million units.
“This project demonstrates clearly what UNOPS Social Impact Investing Initiative sets out to achieve: Supporting national development agendas through helping attract financing from the private sector,” said Grete Faremo – Under-Secretary-General and UNOPS Executive Director.
All production and construction will be carried out by local employees, thus creating several thousand new jobs. SHS has established a local factory to make building materials needed for the homes, which will be constructed with energy-efficient materials, including solar panels.
“Homeownership within a growing working class is one of the most fundamentally integral parts of a developing economy,” said Ghana’s Vice-President, Mahamudu Bawumia. “We look forward to the benefits this project will bring to the good people of Ghana.”
“Our goal is to provide high-quality affordability. We are committed to large scale training and education, creating local jobs for thousands which will boost the local economy and make use of local materials and services wherever possible,” said Dr. Allen Zimbler of SHS.
Similar projects will soon start that will deliver more than 800,000 affordable homes across Ghana, India, Kenya, Pakistan and the Carribean – making the initiative one of the most ambitious affordable housing projects in the world.
Original source: UNOPS
Published on 28 August 2019
