Teacher unions are demanding strong guarantees from government to ensure that the proposed 50,000 housing units for teachers will be genuinely affordable and protected from political interference. Leaders of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) say they will monitor the initiative closely, particularly because the project is expected to be funded partly through teachers’ pension contributions.
For more than two decades, successive governments have pledged to address the housing challenges faced by teachers across the country. The previous NPP administration promised to deliver 10,000 housing units, but the project never materialised. Ahead of the 2024 elections, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) renewed the pledge—this time promising 50,000 homes for teachers. Now in power, the government says it is ready to begin the process.
Project to Draw Funding from Teachers’ Pension Scheme
Under the proposed model, part of the financing will come from the Ghana Education Pension Scheme, while teachers will also be required to make additional minimum contributions to support construction. Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has confirmed that modalities for the project will commence next year.
He further revealed that the government has secured a partnership with an organisation in Morocco to kick-start the initiative.
“I am currently reviewing a paper and a proposal from the District Assemblies Common Fund, GETFund, GESOP and the teacher unions. We intend to provide 50,000 houses for teachers under the government effort. The administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund was in Morocco to engage some partners to look at what the funding mechanism will be,” the Minister explained.
Unions Welcome Initiative but Demand Real Transparency
Teacher unions say they support the project in principle but insist that its success will depend on strict transparency, affordability, and political neutrality.
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General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Tanko Musah, said teachers expect President John Dramani Mahama to deliver on the longstanding promise.
“Teachers are hopeful, and we will always be hopeful. We believe that His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama must change this narrative where a teacher retires and cannot even afford a two-bedroom house. No — the President must build it,” he stated.
On his part, NAGRAT President Angel Carbonu emphasized that affordability must not be compromised.
“The buildings should be affordable and within the reach of the average teacher. When the houses are constructed but priced beyond the reach of teachers, that is when politicians come in to buy them — and that will not help the project,” he cautioned.
Calls for a Clear Implementation Roadmap
Both GNAT and NAGRAT are calling on government to publish a detailed implementation plan to guide the construction process and ensure full transparency. They say teachers must be regularly updated, particularly because their pensions and direct financial contributions are at stake.
As preparations begin, all eyes will be on the Ministry of Education and its partners to see whether this long-awaited promise will finally be fulfilled or become yet another uncompleted government housing project.
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