Accra, March 29,GNA - Ghana's housing deficit stands at one million units per household, and there is the likelihood that the figure would double within the next decade, a public data on shelter has indicated.

Mr Akwete Akita, Executive Director of HFC Bank, who made this known on Monday, expressed dissatisfaction that though high demand for housing existed in the country, it lagged behind in addressing the challenge.

He was speaking at the first draw of the 2010 HFC HomeSave Promotion organised in Accra, which aimed at making lucky customers of the bank who participated in the bonanza to own a house. Mr Akita said low income levels of the Ghanaian working population, land tenure system, relatively high cost of building materials coupled with lack of housing supply was the bane to home ownership for many.

However, he said the current stable macro-economic environment had resulted in favourable interest rate regime as well as a number of major housing projects in both the public and private sectors, stressing that it had enhanced the opportunity and capacity for income-earning Ghanaians to own a house. Mr Akita said: 93The HomeSave Promotion, is a means of further promoting the goal of home ownership by making our valued customers become home owners, sooner than they envisaged." He said during the promotion period in 2010, customers of the bank and the public were required to deposit a minimum of GH¢100 into their Homesave, Smartsave or Life Starter Account for a minimum of 180 days to be eligible to own a home through the bonanza. Mr Akita announced that management would this year, give away three two-bedroom houses to three lucky winners and 10 consolation prizes to other winners.

"Today's (Monday) draw is the first of three in the months of March, June and September to give all our valued customers the opportunity to win."

Mr Akita said the promotion was a token of the bank's commitment towards promoting the culture of saving and to provide the opportunity for many Ghanaians to own a house. Mr John Ahenfo Mensah, a resident at Takoradi in the Western Region emerged the lucky winner of the first draw of the 2010 HomeSave Promotion.

For his prize, he won a two bed-room house located at Oyarifa in Accra= .. When management made a surprise call to inform him of his prize, the winner expressed excitement and gratitude to the organisers.