Government has hinted at plans to roll out the National Rental Assistance Scheme to support lower-income earners to have decent rented accommodation in the country.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) promised in its 2020 manifesto to pay rent advance of Ghanaian youth in its second term to in the short term cushion the youth from the problem of high rent and long rent advance.
Vice President Dr.Mahamudu Bawumia explained that under the National Rent Allowance Scheme, “we will give you a loan to pay your rent allowance, not directly to you but the landlord and then we will deduct monthly as you will normally pay”
NPP also promised to set aside $100 million as a seed into a new National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS), which it intends to set up to address accommodation problems if its mandate was renewed in 2020.
Almost two years into the second tenure, many Ghanaians have questioned the commitment of Akufo-Addo-led government to this promise.
But speaking at an Infrastructural conference organized by the Ghana Chamber of construction Industry (GhCCI) in Koforidua on behalf of the Sector Minister Francis Asenso Boakye, the deputy minister of Works and Housing Abdulai Abanga said, government will soon fulfill this promise with the implementation of the scheme.
“Government intends to implement the National rental assistant scheme to among other things address the market imbalances in the rental housing market, provide assistance to lower-income households to access accommodation whilst leveraging such assistance towards the improvement of the quality of the rental accommodation”.
He said government will continue to deepen engagement with stakeholders to reduce the current housing deficit of 1.8million in the country.
“At the center of all these plans, is the Ghanaian contractor. This nation requires organized group of contractors who are progressive, ready, and fully equipped to embark on the transformational agenda of the government. The Ministry is always engaged with contractors, developers, and other government agencies on how we can collaborate to help reduce the housing deficit which is about 1.8 million housing units”
SOURCE theghanaianvoice