Daily Graphic/GREDA Home Fair: Partnership key in affordable housing delivery - Developers
The 2025 Daily Graphic/GREDA Home Fair opened at the Accra Mall yesterday, with the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) expressing worry about how to realistically achieve affordability in housing delivery.
The President of GREDA, Dr James Orleans-Lindsay, described affordability as a national crisis that required urgent collective action.
At a packed opening ceremony attended by industry players, policy makers, ministries, financial institutions, among others, the GREDA president urged a strong partnership between government, financiers and the private sector.
Dr Orleans-Lindsay emphasised that long-term funds, such as pension investments, must be channelled into real estate to make housing truly affordable.
“How affordable is affordable, if someone is earning GH¢8,000 a month and cannot get a decent place to live. Shelter is key and unless we come together as a people, we will not get this right," he asked.
Dr Orleans-Lindsay stated that developing houses within the range of $20,000 (about GH¢200,000) was possible, but could not be achieved by private developers alone.
Social housing
The GREDA president further lamented the absence of social housing, and called for innovation in using local materials such as wood and stone to reduce cost, while promoting sustainability.
“It should be a national dialogue,” Dr Orleans-Lindsay stressed, adding that housing challenges in both urban and rural areas demand urgent, united solutions.”
Fair
The three-day Daily Graphic/GREDA Home Fair at the Accra Mall Food Court placed technology and security at the heart of Ghana’s housing future, as stakeholders underscored that safer and smarter homes were central to bridging the country’s housing gap.
Speaker after speaker took time to emphasise how safer and smarter homes did not only deter crime but also gave prospective homeowners greater confidence to invest.
With innovations such as smart locks, surveillance cameras and broadband-enabled systems, residents can monitor their properties remotely and enjoy convenience while feeling secure.
The fair which will continue until the close of Saturday, is on the theme: “Technology enabled and eco-friendly housing, now and the future”.
With MTN as the headline sponsors, other exhibitors at the fair include Lakeside Estate, Star Properties, African Concrete Products, Regimanuel Gray Limited, Prabon Greenfield, State Housing Company Ltd (SHCL), Access Bank, Salem Investment Limited, JL Properties, Affordable Luxury Homes, Rocksters Roofing Systems and Samsung.
Security
The Director-General, Technical, Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP) Dr Sayibu Gariba, said security must remain central in Ghana’s smart housing agenda.
He warned that investment in modern homes without adequate safety measures would be incomplete.
COP Dr Gariba stated that burglary, robbery and other residential crimes continued to pose risks, making it crucial for homeowners to take responsibility alongside state institutions.
“If you invest hugely in constructing a smart home, one of the key issues you need to look at is security.
You don’t sit down and think that security will be provided automatically by the state,” he cautioned.
Partnership
COP Dr Gariba explained that policing was a partnership, where citizens and private actors had to contribute to safety, while the police offered support.
Drawing on international best practices, he cited systems in the United Kingdom (UK) where smart home alarms were directly integrated into police control rooms, ensuring rapid deployment of officers when intrusions were detected.
He, therefore, called on technology providers, telecommunication companies and real estate developers to prioritise embedding security into smart housing innovations, saying that would build trust and protect both lives and property.
“You cannot do all this investment without looking at the security aspect, otherwise we will not be safe. For Ghana to develop foolproof smart communities, security integration is fundamental,” he emphasised.
Connectivity
MTN’s Senior Manager for Data Devices and Home, Gloria Frempong, highlighted the company’s commitment to expanding internet connectivity to support smarter and safer homes.
“Every year, we dedicate huge investment to expand coverage, build more cell sites and improve existing ones.
It is not for no reason that MTN has the biggest market share in data and we remain committed to giving our customers a superior experience,” she said.
Ms Frempong stated that the growing demand for data in Ghana’s urban centres reiterated MTN’s belief that every person deserved the benefits of a connected life.
"You would agree with me that there's really high demand for internet connectivity in the urban and even in the very urban areas.
As MTN, we live connectivity because we believe that every single person deserves the benefit of a modern, connected life," MTN’s Senior Manager for Data Devices and Home said.
Affordable housing
The Business Development Manager of State Housing Company Limited (SHCL), Juliet Emefa Gborglah, reiterated the company’s mandate to provide safe and affordable housing solutions for Ghanaians.
"We build communities, create opportunities and then help make the dream of home ownership a reality for thousands of families at a time when the demand for housing continues to rise sharply," she said.
She explained that SHCL was integrating affordability with modernity and security in its new projects across the country, from Pokuase to Adenta and Dodowa.
“Our two, three and four bedroom homes are designed with energy efficiency and security in mind. State Housing remains committed to transforming Ghana’s housing sector with innovation and sustainability,” she added.
Land disputes
The Head of Special Projects at the Lands Commission, Dr Benjamin Quaye, said his outfit was on a nationwide sensitisation programme to combat the increase in land disputes.
"Too often, people purchase land without due diligence, which leads to demolitions and protracted court cases.
With our new systems, the public must learn the right way to acquire land, and we are making it easier and more transparent through technology,” he said.
The Senior Public Affairs Officer of the commission, Eunice Opoku, added that the Commission was embracing digital tools and social media to better engage the public.
"Now, you don’t need to walk into our offices to conduct a search.
Everything can be done online through our portal, from registration to payment.
We encourage Ghanaians to invest time in due diligence,” she said.
Advantage
The Director, Finance, Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Samuel Essel, called on the public to take advantage of the ongoing Daily Graphic/GREDA Home Fair, describing it as a platform that offered knowledge, partnerships and practical solutions for home ownership.
He praised the diverse stakeholders participating in the event, stating that their perspectives would help shape Ghana’s housing and real estate landscape.
Mr Essel said the presence of the police, the Lands Commission, banks and developers at the fair provided fresh insights and highlighted the need for stronger collaboration.
“The police have given us a very interesting dimension, an area we need to go into.
The Lands Commission too has shown us platforms that many of us didn’t even know existed.
That is the essence of having these dialogues to bring everybody together, ask the burning questions and understand the new trends and things we need to do,” he said.
The fair
The Graphic/GREDA Home Fair was organised for home seekers, property developers, financiers, regulators and service providers within the real estate and housing industry, creating a platform for the public to connect with stakeholders, explore housing options and access financial and technological solutions.
