By Stanley Senya
Accra, April 15, GNA – Mr Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, the Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, has affirmed the government’s determination to making green building practices central to national development policies.
“We are actively integrating green building principles into our national housing strategies and programmes,” he stated.
Mr Adjei was speaking at the 6th Ghana Green Building Summit in Accra, which brought together more than 300 stakeholders from government, development institutions, academia, the private sector, and civil society to deliberate on the critical role of sustainable buildings in shaping Ghana’s future.
The event on the theme: “Reimagining Buildings and Cities for Economic and Social Prosperity” provided a robust platform for dialogue, innovation, and collaboration.
Mr Adjei highlighted the District Housing Programme as a key initiative aimed at delivering sustainable, affordable homes in rural and peri-urban areas using environmentally responsible, locally sourced materials.
“Affordable—in quotes—because what is affordable to me may not be affordable to you,” he added, acknowledging the fluid definitions around affordability.
He emphasised the need for green finance to unlock scale and accessibility.
Mr Cedric Dzelu, Technical Director to the Minister of State in charge of Climate Change and Sustainability, cited alarming World Bank projections that climate-induced economic losses could triple by 2050, with over 30 million Ghanaians potentially exposed to extreme heat.
“Climate change is not a distant threat, it is already impacting livelihoods, infrastructure, food security and the very sustainability of our cities,” he said.
He called on builders to design cities not merely with bricks and mortar, but with vision and purpose.
“Let us then design cities that breathe. Cities that include. Cities that endure,” he noted.
Mr Paul Kwesi Ocran, Green Buildings Lead, Ghana at IFC, underscored the affordability of sustainable design and stressed that green homes should not be limited to high-rise luxury developments.
“We should not always look at green buildings as three-storey buildings or the iconic ten-storey towers. Your home can also be green,” he said.
Mr John Sheriff Bawah, Managing Director of State Housing Company Limited (SHCL), reinforced the need to redefine affordability in Ghana’s housing sector.
“It ranges from US$60,000 to US$250,000—everybody tags it affordable. That is the key issue,” he stated.
Mr Bawah commended the summit for bridging technical expertise with youth innovation.
One such example was Joel Jojo Osam Mensah, winner of the 3rd IFC EDGE Student Design Competition.
His design, titled ‘Nɔte Dan’ (Earth House), incorporated natural ventilation, rammed earth walls, and a beehive passive cooling system to achieve over 50 percent savings in energy and water usage.
“If you take nothing out of this, know that you have a job with State Housing after this,” Bawah announced, offering a job opportunity to the young designer. A statement which was fully endorsed by the sector Minister.
Madam Yewande Giwa, Senior Operations Officer at IFC, acknowledged the critical support of the UK Government and initial support from the Swiss government, who have been instrumental in promoting green finance instruments and capacity building across Africa.
“What if every new building in Ghana met the EDGE standard? The potential for long-term climate impact would be extraordinary,” she said.
Mr Richard Sandall, Development Director at the British High Commission emphasised the importance of systems thinking and leadership. “Green buildings are not a luxury. They are a necessity,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to think beyond technology and focus on the commercial and political systems that shape value and demand.
Mr Cyril Nii Ayitey Tetteh, the Convenor of the Summit reinforced the idea that sustainability was fundamentally about longevity, resilience, and inclusion.
“Sustainability is all about continuity. This happens when we embed sustainability into business, adopt processes with ESG frameworks and practice sustainable banking principles,” he said.
GNA
CA/