Daily Graphic/GREDA Home Fair: Developers call for tax relief, infrastructure investment to cut housing costs
Real estate developers have called on the government to ease taxes and invest in infrastructure such as roads and electricity to help reduce the cost of housing in the country.
They identified high taxation and the lack of essential infrastructure as the main drivers of soaring house prices, a situation they said continued to make property ownership unattainable for many Ghanaians, particularly those in the low and middle-income bracket.
The developers explained that in many cases, they were forced to factor the cost of providing basic amenities such as roads, electricity and hospitals into home prices, especially in developing areas.
Home fair
These concerns came up during interactions with some exhibitors at the opening of the Daily Graphic/GREDA Home Fair at the Accra Mall Food Court yesterday.
Representatives of Glico Group
The three-day fair, jointly being organised by the Graphic Communications Group Ltd. (GCGL) and the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA), is on the theme: “Technology-enabled and eco-friendly housing: Now and the future”.
The event, which ends on Sunday, August 31, 2025, is being attended by developers, financial institutions and technology firms to showcase practical solutions that combine affordability with smart and sustainable living.
Cost drivers
A Marketing Officer at Star Properties, Philomena Anador, said that affordability remained one of the biggest obstacles to closing the country’s housing gap.
Some patrons at the Nyame Dua Apartment stand at the fair
“A lot of people think our prices are too high, especially for low-income earners, but mostly, we factor in taxes. So if the government can step in with tax incentives, then our prices will come down and more people will be able to buy,” she said.
Mrs Anador added that the cost of providing basic infrastructure also weighed heavily on developers.
“If something can be done about the road networks, as well as the provision of essential services, it will help reduce prices because, at the end of the day, all of these are factored into our costs,” she said.
Another Marketing Officer with the Lakeside Estate, Akim Ibrahim, echoed similar concerns, stressing that high taxes and inadequate infrastructure were inflating housing prices.
He also urged the government to provide better road networks and utility services in developing areas, saying such interventions would significantly ease the cost burden on developers and make homes more affordable for ordinary citizens.
Offers on display
Highlighting some of the products her company was showcasing, Mrs Anador said Star Properties offered serviced lands at Lakeside Community 8 for clients seeking to build their dream homes, in addition to renting office spaces and apartments.
Some patrons at the MTN stand at the opening ceremony
She explained that the company’s participation in the fair was aimed at networking with industry players and reaching prospective clients, but reiterated that pricing remained a major challenge for the real estate sector.
On her expectations for the event, she expressed optimism about forming new partnerships and learning from fellow developers.
AI-powered homes
Alongside calls for affordability, technology firm, Samsung Electronics, is using the fair to promote artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to make homes more convenient and manageable.
A consultant of Samsung, Mariam Ahmed, demonstrated the company’s SmartThings ecosystem, which allows homeowners to control appliances such as TVs, refrigerators and security cameras from their mobile phones.
People have work to do, and when they come home, they are super tired.
You need technology to help you. Imagine if you get into the kitchen and you have no idea what to cook, and you can actually have a conversation with your refrigerator to suggest something quick to prepare,” she said.
Mrs Ahmed further explained that Samsung’s goal at the fair was to educate the public on integrating AI into their daily lives to make living much easier and smarter.
