[rev_slider alias=”Ghana-Netherland-Relationship”]
The Netherlands Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Ron Strikker paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Works and Housing, Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye in Accra to discuss areas of collaboration on housing, drainage and coastal protection.
The Minister, thanked the Ambassador for the visit and that said the Government’s vision was to provide mass decent and safe affordable housing through a credible mortgage system for Ghanaians aimed at reducing the housing deficit in the country.
He said Government was committed to rolling out affordable housing throughout the country, explaining that an estimated 60 per cent of Ghana’s population will need some form of government assistance to own a home while 35 per cent will not be able to access housing even with the government support.
Hon. Asenso-Boakye indicated the Ministry was in the process to establish a National Housing Authority which will be mandated to plan, develop and manage the government’s housing projects to ensure continuity of Government housing projects.
On coastal protection, he said the government had over the years been constructing sea defence walls to protect lives and properties along Ghana’s coastline, however, the government needs assistance to cover more areas as 30 per cent of Ghanaians live along the coast.
Touching on drainage, he stated that, the Ministry had been working on drainage systems in the country to mitigate flooding. However, the Ministry’s doors are open to Netherlands investors to support Ghana to enhance the country’s drainage system and to extend the drainage system to other urban centres with flooding challenges.
The Minister hinted that plans are far advanced to establish the Ghana Hydrological Authority (GHA) to develop comprehensive solutions to mitigate the effects of flooding and the protection of the inland and sea coastlines.
The GHA according to the Minister, will be responsible for the planning, designing, execution, operation and maintenance of flood control mechanisms, coastal engineering works, drainage improvement works, river development works, operational and applied hydrology in the country.
H. E. Strikker who commended the Minister on his appointment said the Netherlands was ready to collaborate with the Ministry to support in the area of coastal protection, dredging and drainage to enable the Ministry to achieve its agenda.
He said the Netherlands will continue to provide support to Ghana to achieve the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda and become a prosperous country.