The Lands Commission has pledged to play a more enabling role in addressing Ghana’s housing deficit, which is currently estimated at over 1.8 million units.
Speaking at the opening of the Daily Graphic/GREDA Home Fair at the Accra Mall Food Court, Dr Benjamin Quaye of the Commission said housing was about more than shelter. “It is about ensuring security, dignity and sustainable growth for our citizens. The timing of this dialogue could not be more appropriate,” he stated.
He noted that rapid urbanisation, rising land values and high financing costs had pushed housing beyond the reach of many Ghanaians, despite the sector’s huge potential as a driver of economic growth and job creation.
Dr Quaye outlined reforms being rolled out by the Commission to improve transparency and efficiency in land administration, including the Enterprise Land Information System. “Through this digital platform we have provided for registration, searches and stamping, industry players can now conduct searches online without having to visit the Commission physically,” he explained.
He added that the Commission was integrating the Ghana Card for secure, identity-based transactions and was working towards a digital land certificate with QR codes to verify ownership quickly and securely.
“But technology alone is not enough,” Dr Quaye cautioned. He said the future of housing must be eco-friendly, with the Commission working with agencies such as the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, the Environmental Protection Authority and traditional authorities to encourage green communities, renewable energy adoption and resilient settlement planning.
He called for greater collaboration among developers, financiers, landowners and government agencies to create enabling conditions for affordable housing delivery. “Public-private partnerships, innovative financing models and inclusive policies are key to bridging this housing gap,” he said.
Dr Quaye stressed that the Lands Commission viewed itself not merely as a regulator but as “a strategic enabler of Ghana’s housing vision.” He added: “We remain committed to leveraging technology, strengthening land tenure security and working hand in hand with stakeholders to deliver housing that is affordable, sustainable and dignified for all Ghanaians now and in the future.”
The three-day fair, jointly organised by the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA), is running on the theme: “Technology-Enabled and Eco-Friendly Housing: Now and the Future.”
