Affordable Housing in Urban Areas in Ghana
Introduction:
Affordable housing in the urban cities of Ghana is beyond the reach of the majority of low and middle-income families. The housing deficit in the country currently stands at about two million and with an annual housing need of about 133,000, the total deficit is expected to exceed 4.2 million by 2030, if concrete measures are not taken to increase the housing stock.
This research identifies the factors that limit the supply of adequate and affordable housing in the country, especially in urban areas. At an estimated average urban growth rate of more than three percent per annum between 2000 and 2030, the urban population in the country is expected to increase by 65% by 2030 and this will further increase the demand for housing in the country. The scarcity of land in urban areas and the high cost of building materials make it difficult for low-income groups to become homeowners. Additionally, the rent system in the country is unfriendly and this leads to homelessness in the urban centers. The high poverty levels and the lack of easy access to 11 finance in the form of mortgage loans further compound the housing situation in the country.
Methodology:
This research relies primarily on secondary sources of data to analyze and provide an understanding of the housing problem in Ghana. There is a plethora of literature on housing, finance, land, population, immigration and government policy on housing in Ghana. Though not cohesive, this material is useful and will be synthesized to provide an insight into the housing situation in the country. There is relative ease of access to the secondary data that will be used. Most of the material is accessible online and this research therefore will be effectively conducted at a low cost. However, one of the shortcomings or difficulties with the use of secondary data and in this research in particular is that, most of the data on housing and housing-related issues are not classified in a way that reflects the current housing situation in the country.
Affordable Housing Quality:
Housing is a basic necessity of life of every nation and the quality of affordable housing used by any household establishes a fundamental basis for assessing the standard of living of that household and to some extent, the nation as a whole. An improved investment in the housing sector is one of the effective means of ensuring that households have access to basic services such as water and effective sanitation
Land Scarcity:
Scarcity of land as a result of the increasing population in urban areas is a major factor that contributes to the low supply of affordable housing. The UN-Habitat 2011 report on affordable land and housing in Africa indicates that “the continued growth and expansion of African cities has increased the gap between the supply and demand of urban land and housing. Urban land for housing development is increasingly scarce, poorly regulated and therefore expensive”. Groves notes that even though land supply is limited everywhere, the nature of the land problem in Africa is exceptional and therefore compounds the problem of land supply in urban areas. This is because land ownership in Africa is communal and is traced to tribal lines.
Affordable Housing Construction in Ghana:
The Ghana Standards Board introduced standards of building materials and regulations regarding building practices in the country in 1988. These standards are regulated by the Ghana Building Code. Among others, the code authorizes district planning officers to reject the use of materials that are prone to rapid deterioration and are therefore not suitable for constructing permanent buildings.
Conclusion:
Affordable Housing is a fundamental need just like food, water and clothing and its importance in nation building cannot be overemphasized. Adequate housing breeds good citizenship as it ensures that they have quality sleep, think better and therefore bring forth good innovations for themselves as individuals and the nation as a whole. It is also a symbol of security and a source of inheritance especially with regards to the Ghanaian culture. Hasselaar indicates that the individual spends about 60-85 percent of their lifetime at home and housing is therefore very impactful on their health and wellbeing and for that matter, the productivity of residents in a particular country. Safe, decent and affordable means of housing improves the labor force and therefore the overall productivity.
Also Read: Confronting the Urban Housing Crisis in the Global South: Adequate, Secure, and Affordable Housing