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Ghana to host Africa Union Housing
Finance Conference
Accra, July 4, GNA - Ghana is to host the 22nd African Union
Housing Finance (AUHF) Annual General Meeting slated for
September 17 to 21 in Accra.
The meeting, which would be attended by about 18 member
countries including Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania and
Swaziland among others things would discuss the challenges
facing housing on the continent and how to adequately build
capacity to solve them.
The meeting that also doubles as a conference for housing
financing training program will be on the theme: "The future
of sustainable Housing Finance System Towards Affordable
Housing and Infrastructure".
The conference would primarily brainstorm to fashion
strategies for innovative housing finance products for the
AUHF cities alliance pilot project by identifying and
discovering various challenges and potentials for micro
housing finance to support upgrading activities including
affordable housing and infrastructure.
It would also put in context the informal settlement
challenges in Africa highlighting on policy issues such as
national level policies at urban poverty alleviation,
housing and infrastructure provision for low-income groups.
Mr Philip Odetsi-Martey, Executive Secretary, Ghana Housing
Finance Association (GHFA) addressing members at a
preparatory meeting as a prelude to the main conference
urged member countries to ensure the full participation of
the delegates to realize the agenda of the conference.
He called for the support of donor partners, saying “we are
grateful for their unflinching financial support over the
years”.
Mr Samson Moraba, Chairman AUHF said the formation of the
group was informed by the depth of the housing challenges
confronting Africa and the need to provide affordable
shelter for the low-bracket income earners.
He noted that the group was not a housing financing entity,
rather it depended on support from multinational financial
organizations such as the World Bank to leverage
contributions made by member countries to support housing
projects.
Mr. Moraba stated that the World Bank had recently given out
300,000 dollars to support innovative pilot housing
instruments currently being undertaking in Ghana, South
Tanzania and Swaziland.
"We will be showcasing some of these pilot housing projects
at the end of the Africa Union Summit to attract support
from other donor organizations", he added.
He indicated that the group as part of its core objective
shared experiences from member countries on housing, as
housing was country-centered, to build capacities of the
members to discharge their duties effectively.
GNA
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