Ghana Minister proposes National Housing Levy to address deficit

Ahmed Ibrahim, Ghana’s Minister for Works and Housing, has proposed the establishment of a National Housing Levy to accelerate the delivery of affordable homes and address the country’s estimated housing deficit of 1.8 million units.

During a visit to the State Housing Company, the minister suggested that a dedicated levy could provide a sustainable funding mechanism for state-led projects, specifically targeting young people struggling with rent and homeownership. Ibrahim cited Kenya’s National Housing Levy as a successful model, noting that the Kenyan system channels tax revenue into a fund used to build approximately 200,000 housing units annually.

While acknowledging that politicians may fear public resistance to new taxes, Ibrahim emphasized that housing must be treated as a national development priority rather than a partisan issue. He called for cooperation across political divides to implement long-term solutions to the housing shortage.