By Iddi Yire, GNA
Accra, Aug 21, GNA – Developer LMI Holdings has committed to completing the first 700 housing units under the revived Saglemi Housing Project by March 2027, with the first phase of 1,500 units expected to be completed by December 2027.
A statement issued by the Presidency said the commitment was highlighted during President John Dramani Mahama’s inspection of the Saglemi project in the Greater Accra Region on Thursday, August 20.
The Saglemi project, originally conceived as a 5,000-unit affordable housing estate under the late President John Evans Atta Mills, stalled after a change in government, with subsequent legal and investigative processes bringing construction to a halt.
The prolonged inactivity also left the site vulnerable to vandalism, with electrical cables, fittings, wash basins, bathtubs, bulbs, and underground telecommunications cables reportedly removed.
President Mahama said the Government eventually decided to partner with the private sector to complete the development, leading to the selection of LMI Holdings to undertake the redevelopment.
“From what you have seen today, this estate is going to become a modern and conducive residential community for thousands of Ghanaian families,” President Mahama said.
He urged prospective homeowners to register promptly once the sales portal is opened, warning that demand for the houses is likely to be high.
“I want to encourage Ghanaians to register as soon as the sales portal is opened because these houses will be in high demand,” he said.
President Mahama explained that industries located along the corridor, particularly around Tema and the Dawa Industrial Park, could also seek to acquire the houses for their workers.
He said the estate would serve both industrial workers and Ghanaian families seeking to own homes in a well-planned community.
Beyond the housing development, President Mahama said Saglemi would benefit from major supporting infrastructure, including improved road and railway connections.
“Government is dualising the road from here to Aflao. The first phase is already under construction, while the second phase from Central University is being awarded. Residents will therefore enjoy a fast and efficient road connection,” he said.
He added that a planned railway connection would transport both passengers and cargo, including containers and industrial goods from the Tema Port to the industrial park.
According to President Mahama, these developments are positioning Saglemi as part of a major industrial and residential growth corridor and fit into government’s wider vision for a Green Digital City.
The President said he expected the developer to fulfil its commitment on the housing delivery timeline.
“It is my hope that shortly after Christmas, around Easter next year, we shall gather here to commission the first 700 housing units and hand them over to homeowners. Then, in December next year, we shall return once again to commission the remaining units, completing the first phase of 1,500 houses,” he said.
The first phase represents 1,500 units of the original 5,000-unit Saglemi project, with President Mahama indicating that work would subsequently commence on the remaining 3,500 units.
He also linked the project to government’s broader efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing and reduce the burden of high rent advances on Ghanaian families.
“Saglemi is not the last housing project. The government is preparing a major national housing programme that will be announced by the Finance Minister in the next budget,” he said.
President Mahama noted that GH¢500 million had already been allocated to the District Housing Scheme, with construction expected to begin in selected districts as government rolls out its housing agenda over the next four years.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei