Local Firm To Build 10,000 Affordable Housing Units

A local company has secured a $100 million loan facility from Wilshaw Associates Ltd, for the construction of 10,000 affordable housing units under a private-public partnership (PPP) arrangement. The houses are targeted at civil and public servants, as well as middle to low-income workers. The first phase of the project is being constructed on a 74,047 acre land in the Ga West District at Odumasi/Nsakina, Amasaman in Accra. The local company, AGU Resources Ghana Limited, is executing the project while the architectural, structural, electrical and engineering drawings of the project are being provided by Messrs EH Group, a local company. The consortium-architects, planners, engineers and builders based in Accra-are providing the project management services for the phase one of the project. The Chief Executive Officer of AGU Resources Ghana Limited, Mr. Bernard Kofi Agumeh, and the Chief Executive Officer of Wilshaw Associates, Mr. Nicholas T. Grimshaw, signed the agreement for the release of the funds in Accra last week Wednesday. Mr. Agumeh told the Daily Graphic that the project objective was to enhance land use for as many people as possible and create new experience in apartment living. He said the apartments would be spacious, naturally illuminated ad at the same time energy efficient. Communal facilities would include police stations, post offices, hospitals, swimming pools, football parks, shopping centres, an interdenominational church and education facilities. Street lights, tarred roads, dedicated electricity and constant water supply are some of the amenities to expect in the Agu Resources communities. Mr. Agumeh said the project would create job opportunities for hundreds of people in and outside the metropolis. He noted that the country�s housing deficit stood at approximately 1.5 million and indicated that the project would support the achievement of the government�s national housing policy within the enabling policy framework created to support the private sector to increase housing delivery in the country. Messrs Top International Engineering, an International Chinese company based in Ghana, is the leading sub-contractor responsible for infrastructural development and construction. It is expected that a total of 320 blocks comprising 2,560 apartments will be ready for occupancy in 20 months.