Accra, March 24, GNA - Mr. Mark Nii Akwei Ankrah, Managing Director of State Housing Company (SHC), on Tuesday outlined the Company's strategy towards the provision of affordable and quality housing for Ghanaians. Mr. Ankrah said the country was experiencing a significant housing shortage which had created a lot of slums in the capital and making human development a compromising situation in the country.

He was speaking during a courtesy call on the Management of Ghana News Agency in Accra, following his recent appointment to the position of MD of the nation's premier housing institution.

Mr. Ankrah explained that he regarded the GNA and other media organizations in the country as important stakeholders in the quest for an efficient and pragmatic housing policy that would benefit not only workers but the larger Ghnanaian population.

He said the SHC would not concentrate its activities only in the urban areas, but would also move into the rural areas in fulfillment of its commitment to provide housing for all Ghanaians regardless of their income levels.

He said the concept of Social Housing which the SHC intended to adopt, was geared towards the provision of affordable houses based on the use of local building material to reduce cost.

Mr Ankrah added that social housing would also create employment for university graduates and other young school leavers since their services and expertise would be needed. He noted that over the years government had been dealing mainly with foreigners on issues pertaining to housing, to the neglect of the SHC. He urged government to ensure that every housing project carried out in the country by foreign contractors be made to pass through SHC for proper monitoring to avoid a situation whereby the nation might be paying for sub-standard work from incompetent foreign firms.

Nana Appau Duah, General Manager of the Ghana News Agency, expressed appreciation for the MD's visit and gave the assurance that as a premier news organization in the country, the GNA would help sensitize the Ghanaian public on the mission of the SHC by providing publicity for the Company's operations.