Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the recently appointed Minister, received the mantle from Francis Asenso-Boakye with grace on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, during a solemn ceremony held in the Ministry of Works and Housing.
Asenso-Boakye thanked the hardworking personnel and administration of the Ministry for their consistent assistance throughout his term and asked them to continue working with the next Minister in the same manner.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye recalled how the ministry, which focuses mostly on public infrastructure, was underfunded as a result of COVID-19’s detrimental effects on the nation’s finances. Despite this, he said that the ministry made a few modest advancements while he was there.
He brought up the National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS), which was created to help low-to middle-class people pay their rent in advance and increase housing accessibility. As of January 31, 2024, he said, 1,492 people have benefited from the NRAS.
Additionally, under Asenso-Boakye’s leadership, the Ghana Hydrological Authority Act, 2022 (Act 1085) was passed, transforming the Hydrological Services Department into the independent Ghana Hydrological Authority. The nation’s water management methods have been greatly strengthened by this action.
Furthermore, Asenso-Boakye’s creation of the Real Estate Agency Council (REAC) controlled real estate transactions and encouraged openness and conformity to standards in the real estate industry.
A draft bill that would remove the innate restrictions and encourage private investment in the industry is presently being considered by parliament as part of ongoing efforts to review and reform the Rent Act of 1963 and the Rent Control Law of 1986.
In order to better serve the public, he continued, the rent control department has been working to digitize itself, and next month will see the start of their digital activities.
Additionally, Mr. Asenso-Boakye started the process of establishing the Ghana Housing Authority (GHA), which will be responsible for planning, regulating, and managing public housing, including affordable housing, especially for those with low to middle incomes.
This has been approved by the government and is currently en route to parliament for review and approval. The ministry also succeeded in getting new building rules passed, which would guarantee a resilient built environment.
Among his noteworthy projects is the updated National Affordable houses Programme, which encourages the private sector to come develop at a predetermined price and aims to subsidize houses for Ghanaians by providing land and infrastructure.
