By Issah Mohammed
Accra, March 14, GNA – The Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) has sworn into office a new Executive Council to provide practical solutions to the challenges of the industry to make housing affordable.
The nine-member council, with Dr James Ato Orleans-Lindsay as the President, has a four-year tenure.
It has Dr Stephen Debrah-Ablorneti as the first vice president; Bright Adom, second vice president; Salah Kweku Kalmoni, executive secretary, and Harry Quartey as treasurer.
The members are Philip Korletey, Sitsofe Akpebu, Frank Agyare, and Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng III.
The swearing in ceremony was held at the annual CEO’s Breakfast Meeting, on the theme: “Building the Future, Strengthening Leadership Drive for Sustainable Growth in Real Estate Industry.”
Mr Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, the Minister of Works, Housing and Water Resources, who was the special guest of honour, tasked GREDA to provide practical solutions to leveraging alternative building technologies, reduce the cost of building materials, and explore financing models to help middle income earners acquire affordable homes.
“Additionally, GREDA must explore new investment models such as Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and rent-to-own-schemes to make home ownership more accessible,” he said.
He urged members of the Association to work closely with the Government to enforce the Real Estate Agency Act,2020 to foster integrity and efficiency in the sector.
The GREDA President, Dr Orleans Lindsay, said he would work to promote aggressive membership drive, strengthen advocacy, promote research and innovation, establish a housing development fund for members, build a GREDA headquarters and institutionalise an annual developer’s forum.
He expressed the desire to widen the scope of membership of the association as real estate has a widespread portfolio.
“It is my intention to incorporate all businesses, organisations, institutions and professionals who play pivotal roles in the real estate industry,” he said.
The former president of the Association, Mr Patrick Ebo Banful, said leadership in the real estate industry must evolve to foster sustainable growth and development as well as prioritise sustainability and incorporate it into the business strategies.
GNA