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The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, has advised landowners to consider putting up high-rise or multi-storey residential buildings to ensure effective land use in the country.

He said such structures were not only convenient and cost-effective, but also created more room for occupation on limited pieces of land.
 
According to him, it had become necessary to maximise the available land space in the country to enable future generations to also benefit from it.

Mr Atta Akyea further observed that land was gradually becoming a scarce and expensive commodity in Ghana due to its high demand caused by the increasing pace of urbanisation and population growth, which he described as a natural phenomenon that needed to be managed effectively.

Global solution

Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview, the minister said high-rise buildings had become a global solution in ensuring effective land use and, therefore, it was time Ghana toed a similar line.

Mr Atta Akyea was also of the opinion that two or more people could come together in an agreement to purchase a land and develop it into a storey building based on mutual benefit and convenience.

“In the past, there were more than enough land to meet the residential and commercial needs of the country, but as things stand now, the population is growing at a very high rate thus putting high demand on land. Effective land use options such as multi-storey and high-rise have become an option,” he said.

Expert advice

The minister was, however, quick to add that a developer needed to consult experts to ascertain the suitability of such high-rise projects on their properties to ensure safety.

He said it was equally important to consult authorities of the Ghana National Fire Service on the safety of such buildings in the event of a fire outbreak.

“As we endeavour to change our style of infrastructure, sector ministries will also have to collaborate to ensure safety of people on such structures,” the minister stated.

Background  

There has been a growing demand for land in the country, particularly in the Greater Accra Region. This has led to high cost of land and resultant land litigations in the national capital.

The situation has led to a phenomenon of the formation of land guards who often terrorise developers, culminating in the destruction of properties and loss of lives.

Currently, Ghana’s housing deficit is estimated at more than 1.7 million housing units. This requires the construction of 10,000 units a year over a period of 10 years to address.