Ghana’s housing problem dates back to the period immediately after independence. The challenge can be traced to the era of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, whose government initiated several public housing schemes. Some of these developments, particularly in Tema, are still in use today.
Similarly, during the regime of President I. K. Acheampong, the government introduced the Low-Cost Housing Scheme. These houses can be found across the country, especially in many district capitals, and were intended to make housing affordable for low- and middle-income earners. Despite these efforts, population growth, rapid urbanisation, and limited sustained public investment gradually widened the housing deficit.
In recent times, the housing gap has become so large that government alone can no longer address it. This reality has led to increased private sector participation in the real estate and housing market. To protect tenants, government introduced rent control measures to regulate rent levels and landlord practices, but enforcement has largely been ineffective.
More recently, government introduced a Rent Assistance Programme, under which, through public–private partnerships, loans are provided to citizens to enable them pay rent advances. This intervention was necessitated by the widespread demand by landlords for up to two years’ rent in advance. While the programme has recorded an impressive loan recovery rate of about 99 percent, the number of beneficiaries remains far below the actual demand.
Transportation as a Structural Cause of the Housing Crisis
Beyond housing supply and regulation, Ghana’s housing crisis is closely linked to the country’s weak transportation system. Poor and inefficient transport forces many workers to live close to their workplaces, especially in Accra and other major cities. This has created excessive pressure on the limited housing stock in urban centres, pushing rent prices to unsustainable levels.
To address this structural challenge, government should consider developing a high-speed or bullet train system connecting Accra to the various regional capitals. Such a system would enable workers to live in more affordable locations while commuting efficiently to their places of work. For example, a worker could choose to live in Aflao and still commute daily to ministries and offices in Accra within a reasonable time.
The introduction of a bullet train system would significantly reduce pressure on housing in Accra and other major cities, help stabilise rent prices, and promote balanced regional development.
Funding the Bullet Train Project
The bullet train project can be funded with strong citizen participation, provided government first builds public trust through transparency and accountability. Government must engage the public on how the funds will be administered, establish a dedicated account for the project, and publish annual reports detailing inflows, expenditures, and balances.
The fund must be strictly ring-fenced for the bullet train project. Under no circumstance should the funds be diverted to finance the national budget or any unrelated government activity. Legal safeguards must be put in place to ensure this protection.
A dedicated levy of GH₵1.00 on petroleum products can be introduced to raise sustainable revenue for the project. Given nationwide fuel consumption levels, this levy could generate significant and predictable funds over time.
In addition, the fund can be securitised to raise upfront capital, allowing construction to begin while repayments are made gradually from the dedicated revenue stream.
Administration and Legal Regime
The bullet train system should not be managed directly by government. Instead, it should be operated under a robust Public–Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. Ghana’s experience with state-managed transport systems such as Metro Mass Transit and Ayalolo buses demonstrates how political interference, abuse of office, and weak governance structures can undermine public investments. These failures must not be repeated. Under this arrangement, management and operations should be insulated from political control, with clear performance benchmarks and accountability mechanisms.
Government’s role should be limited to regulation, oversight, and enforcement of contractual obligations.
The operation and financing of the bullet train must be backed by a dedicated law that prevents abuse, diversion, or amendment of the fund for any other purpose. The only permissible amendment to the law should be the abolition of the petroleum levy once all expenses related to the train have been fully settled. There should be no “emergency” provisions that allow for the use of the funds under any circumstances.
Strong internal control systems must be established, including independent audits, parliamentary oversight, and public disclosure requirements, to prevent misappropriation and misuse of funds.
Conclusion
Ghana’s housing crisis cannot be solved through housing policies alone. It requires integrated planning that links housing, transportation, financing, and governance. A transparently funded, legally protected, and professionally managed bullet train system could transform commuting patterns, ease housing pressure in major cities, and drive long-term national development. The success of such a project will depend not only on infrastructure, but on discipline, accountability, and political restraint.
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