Ghana’s expanding property market is doing little to resolve the housing needs of ordinary workers, with high prices, rising rents and limited access to formally built homes pushing many households towards informal settlements and substandard accommodation, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing, Koldo Casla, has warned.
Concluding an official visit to Ghana, Mr Casla said housing construction, particularly in Accra, appeared increasingly disconnected from the needs of the majority of the population, as expensive properties were marketed at prices beyond the reach of average earners.
He questioned whether some developments were being driven more by speculative investment than by the need to provide homes for people who live and work in the country.
“Many of these properties remain vacant, which suggests that much of the construction in wealthy parts of Accra seem to meet speculative financial ends other than satisfying the right to adequate housing of the population,” he said.
The concern highlights a central challenge for Ghana’s housing sector: increasing the supply of properties does not necessarily make housing more accessible if the homes being built are priced beyond what working households can afford.
For low-income workers, the consequences extend beyond the inability to purchase a house. High rents, substantial advance payments and a shortage of affordable formal accommodation can leave families spending a large share of their earnings on housing or living in conditions that fall short of acceptable standards.
Housing supply must match household incomes
Mr Casla said the concept of affordable housing risked losing its meaning if policies failed to address the circumstances of low-income working people, who make up a substantial share of the population.
He urged the government to recognise that the high cost of formally built housing leaves many Ghanaians with few alternatives beyond informal settlements or substandard accommodation.
Estimates cited during the visit indicate that about 31 per cent of Ghana’s urban population lives in informal settlements. Conservative estimates also put the number of people experiencing homelessness at around 100,000, including approximately 60,000 children.
The figures point to a housing challenge that cannot be resolved through construction volumes alone. The affordability of completed homes, the availability of suitable rental accommodation and the ability of households to meet upfront costs are equally important.
For policymakers, this raises questions about whether housing programmes adequately reflect the incomes of teachers, nurses, traders, artisans, junior public servants and other workers who may earn regular incomes but remain unable to access decent accommodation.
Mr Casla called for people living in poverty to be actively involved in shaping housing policies, arguing that decisions about housing must respond to the needs of those most affected by the shortage of affordable homes.
Rent pressures deepen the affordability challenge
The pressure is not limited to prospective homeowners. More than one-third of Ghanaians pay rent, with the proportion exceeding 40 per cent in urban areas, according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census.
For households that cannot afford to buy property, the rental market is a critical route to secure housing. But high rents and demands for substantial advance payments can make it difficult for workers to find and maintain accommodation close to their jobs.
Mr Casla called on the government to strengthen the Rent Control Department and other relevant institutions so they can monitor rent increases more effectively and protect tenants against excessive advance payments.
A stronger regulatory framework, backed by adequate institutional capacity, could help improve tenant protection. However, its effectiveness would also depend on enforcement and the availability of rental homes that households can afford.
The broader challenge is to ensure that housing costs do not undermine household budgets, leaving families with less money for food, education, healthcare and transport.
Housing rights threatened by forced evictions
The UN expert also called for an end to forced evictions carried out without prior consultation and proper compensation.
Evictions can disrupt livelihoods, separate families from schools and workplaces, and leave households facing additional costs to secure alternative accommodation. For people already living in poverty, losing a home without adequate safeguards can deepen their economic insecurity.
Mr Casla urged authorities to listen to affected communities before making decisions that could displace residents, reinforcing the need for housing and urban development policies to account for the rights and circumstances of people living in informal settlements.
This places a responsibility on public authorities to balance urban development and land management with due process, meaningful consultation and protection against arbitrary displacement.
Climate risks add to the housing burden
The housing challenge is also becoming more difficult as climate change exposes communities to flooding, drought and extreme heat.
Mr Casla highlighted the effects on northern communities affected by drought, southern communities facing flooding and residents of informal settlements exposed to rising temperatures.
Poor housing conditions can make these risks more severe, particularly where homes lack adequate drainage, ventilation or reliable infrastructure. Flooding can destroy property and disrupt livelihoods, while extreme heat can make poorly ventilated homes increasingly unsafe and uncomfortable.
He called for local governments to be better prepared to mitigate flooding and other climate-related disasters, and urged the international community to support these efforts in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
For Ghana, integrating climate resilience into housing and urban planning would help reduce the exposure of vulnerable communities to disasters while protecting homes, livelihoods and essential services.
Turning housing policy into affordable homes
Mr Casla welcomed the adoption of several housing-related policies in recent years but said the government needed to ensure that its approach addressed the needs of ordinary Ghanaians.
He argued that Ghana could demonstrate leadership in protecting the right to adequate housing, just as it had shown diplomatic leadership in advocating recognition of historical injustices.
“West Africa needs Ghana’s human rights leadership, and the Ghanaian people desperately need their housing rights,” he said.
His findings place renewed emphasis on whether housing policy can connect investment in construction with the incomes and living conditions of the people who need homes most.
That requires attention not only to the number of properties built, but also to their prices, rental terms, location, access to basic services and resilience to climate risks. It also requires stronger institutions to protect tenants and ensure that communities are consulted before displacement.
Mr Casla is expected to present a detailed report on his Ghana visit to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2027.
The challenge for Ghana will be to translate housing policies and expanding real estate activity into homes that working people can afford, live in safely and retain without facing the constant threat of displacement.
