President John Mahama says the first 700 housing units at the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project are expected to be completed and commissioned by March 2027.

He also expects 1,500 housing units to be completed by the end of 2027 as the government works with the private sector to revive the long-delayed project.

President Mahama announced the timelines during a tour of the Saglemi Housing Project, where construction work is ongoing to complete the residential community.

He urged prospective homeowners to prepare to register for the houses once the official registration portal is opened.

President Mahama said the Saglemi project was originally initiated under the administration of the late President John Evans Atta Mills before it stalled following a change of government and subsequent legal and investigative issues.

“This was a vision that was started by Professor Atta Mills, and I came and continued it. Unfortunately, when the government changed hands, there were some issues, legal issues, and the new government said they wanted to investigate and in the meantime the project stalled,” he said.

According to the President, the stalled project subsequently suffered extensive vandalism, with electrical cables, bathroom fittings and other installations stolen from the development.

“Looters came in and stole everything, the cables, the wash basins, the baths, all the fittings, electrical bulbs,” he said.

He said some telecommunications cables installed underground were also removed.

President Mahama said government eventually agreed to allow private sector participation in completing the project, with LMI Holdings selected to undertake the redevelopment.

He said the completed estate would provide a conducive residential environment for families and workers in surrounding industrial areas.

The President said the location of the project near industrial zones in Tema and the Dawa Industrial Area could create strong demand for the houses.

“The good thing is if people don't register fast enough, you see all these industries here, all the way to Tema, those in the industrial area, Dawa Industrial Area. They will snap up all the houses for their workers,” he said.

He encouraged interested Ghanaians to register once the portal is opened, saying the houses would also be available to individuals seeking accommodation for their families.

President Mahama said the broader development envisages a 5,000-unit residential estate, with the initial 1,500 units forming the first phase.

He said government expects the first 1,500 units to be delivered by December 2027, after which work would begin on the remaining 3,500 units.

“The first phase which was the 1,500... I'm sure that by December next year that first phase of 1,500 would have been delivered and then work would have started on the extra 3,500 housing units,” he said.

He also said infrastructure including water and solar power facilities was being developed alongside the housing project.

President Mahama said prospective homeowners would have access to mortgage and loan facilities to help them finance the purchase of the houses.

He said several financial institutions, including the National Homeownership Fund, were prepared to support prospective buyers with financing for the required deposit and mortgage arrangements.

According to him, buyers would be able to spread their payments over an agreed period at relatively low interest rates.

The President said the financing arrangements were intended to make home ownership more accessible to Ghanaian workers and other prospective buyers.

The government is expected to announce further details on the registration process and pricing of the houses once the official portal is opened.