President John Dramani Mahama has cut the sod for Sentuo Group’s Airport Garden City project in Accra, with the company projecting more than 3,000 jobs, most of which are expected to go to Ghanaians.

The group’s Executive Chairman, Xu Ningquan, announced the employment target at a sod-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, which also marked the opening of the project’s sales office.

Mr Xu said the development would create opportunities for artisans, technicians, engineers, hospitality professionals and managers.

He said the project would also introduce apprenticeship and practical training programmes to equip young Ghanaians with skills that could improve their employment prospects.

International specialists working on the project, he added, would be required to share their expertise with their Ghanaian counterparts to ensure that the knowledge and skills gained from the investment remain in Ghana.

President Mahama, who was the keynote speaker at the ceremony, commended Sentuo Group for its continued investment in Ghana and said the project would create significant opportunities for the local economy.

He described investments of this nature as important to Ghana’s development and assured investors of the government’s continued support for projects that create jobs, stimulate economic activity and contribute to national growth.

‘The Garden Above Accra’

Described by Sentuo Group as “The Garden Above Accra,” Airport Garden City is planned as an integrated community featuring residential facilities, a hotel and conference centre, healthcare services, shopping areas, gardens and recreational spaces.

The development is expected to add to Accra’s appeal as a destination for business, tourism and urban living, with facilities designed to accommodate international conferences and high-level meetings.

The Minister for Works and Housing, Ahmed Ibrahim, urged developers to embrace vertical construction as part of efforts to address Ghana’s housing deficit.

He said building upwards would help maximise limited land resources and increase the availability of housing, particularly in Accra, where demand for land continues to put pressure on housing development.

Mr Ibrahim also described Ghana as an attractive destination for investment and stressed the importance of public-private partnerships in expanding the country’s housing stock.

Focus on affordability and local participation

Sentuo Group also pledged to ensure affordability, transparent pricing and clear contractual terms for prospective homeowners.

The company said buyers would be provided with detailed information on property rights, payment obligations, delivery timelines and post-handover services before committing their funds.

Ghanaian creativity, the company said, would also be incorporated into the development through its landscaping, artwork and interior design, while Ghanaian food and hospitality would feature prominently in the visitor experience.

Mr Xu said Sentuo Group’s confidence in Ghana had grown through its investments in the steel, ceramics and oil refining sectors.

He said the success of Airport Garden City would ultimately be measured not only by the scale of the development, but by the tangible benefits it delivers to Ghanaians.

He said this would include the “Ghanaian jobs and local business contracts created, the skills developed and the homes successfully delivered to their owners.”