The State Housing Company Limited (SHCL) says the government must absorb between 30% and 40% of housing development costs to make homes genuinely affordable for low-income earners in Ghana.
SHCL Managing Director John Bawah said the high cost of essential infrastructure, including roads, drainage systems, and utility connections, significantly increases housing prices and makes it difficult for developers to serve low-income households.
Speaking during an interview on Monday, October 12, he explained that government intervention through infrastructure provision or direct subsidies would help reduce construction costs and make homes more accessible.
According to him, infrastructure alone can account for between 35% and 40% of the total cost of a housing project. Absorbing these expenses would allow developers to focus on constructing homes at prices ordinary Ghanaians could afford.
The SHCL’s position comes amid public criticism of the prices announced for its Surge Homes development at Amrahia.
Two-bedroom houses in the project start at GH¢950,000, prompting questions about whether the homes are affordable for low- and middle-income earners.
The debate has renewed concerns about the gap between housing prices and the purchasing power of many Ghanaian households.
