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The State Housing Company (SHC) is set to partner the Youth Enterprises Support (YES) Agency to train various youth across the country in housing development.

The project is expected to see selected persons trained in setting up home construction and real estate companies, agile project management for the construction industry and using modern building technology for various construction works.

Ghana’s housing deficit is currently pegged at 1.7 million units and the figure is expected to soar to 2 million by 2018. This implies that government would have to build 190,000 to 200,000 units per year for the next 10 years if the housing gap is to be bridged.

Experts say Ghana’s housing problem will require collaboration among local expertise to turn the situation around.

It is against this backdrop that SHC is collaborating with YES to train various youths in the country to develop their expertise in construction and housing development.

The Managing Director of SHC, Kwabena Ampofo Appiah, disclosed that YES will provide the funding and SHC will augment this effort by making available the technical know-how for the project.

He said the project is expected to assist thousands of Ghanaians to be ready for a housing boom as the government aggressively targets the reduction of our housing deficit.

Mr. Ampofo Appiah said that the project is also to develop the capacity of Ghanaians to play a key role in our housing industry to reduce our over reliance on foreigners.

“We also have to bring Ghanaians up to speed with new technologies in home building that result in cheaper and more energy efficient homes,” he stressed.

On his part, John Kumah, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of YES, said the project will help the youth to develop their potential in housing and construction while helping to solve the housing problem the country currently faces.

“The Youth Enterprise Support initiative has been designed to help Ghana’s young and innovative population turn great ideas into thriving business enterprises. The YES initiative is offering aspiring young Ghanaian entrepreneurs, services designed around the experience of the ‘life cycle’ of successful businesses,” he said.