Accra, July 4, GNA - Ghana is to host the 22nd African Union Housing Finance (AUHF) Annual General Meeting slated for September 17 to 21 in Accra.

The meeting, which would be attended by about 18 member countries including Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania and Swaziland among others things would discuss the challenges facing housing on the continent and how to adequately build capacity to solve them.

The meeting that also doubles as a conference for housing financing training program will be on the theme: "The future of sustainable Housing Finance System Towards Affordable Housing and Infrastructure". The conference would primarily brainstorm to fashion strategies for innovative housing finance products for the AUHF cities alliance pilot project by identifying and discovering various challenges and potentials for micro housing finance to support upgrading activities including affordable housing and infrastructure.

It would also put in context the informal settlement challenges in Africa highlighting on policy issues such as national level policies at urban poverty alleviation, housing and infrastructure provision for low-income groups.

Mr Philip Odetsi-Martey, Executive Secretary, Ghana Housing Finance Association (GHFA) addressing members at a preparatory meeting as a prelude to the main conference urged member countries to ensure the full participation of the delegates to realize the agenda of the conference. He called for the support of donor partners, saying "we are grateful for their unflinching financial support over the years". Mr Samson Moraba, Chairman AUHF said the formation of the group was informed by the depth of the housing challenges confronting Africa and the need to provide affordable shelter for the low-bracket income earners.

He noted that the group was not a housing financing entity, rather it depended on support from multinational financial organizations such as the World Bank to leverage contributions made by member countries to support housing projects.

Mr. Moraba stated that the World Bank had recently given out 300,000 dollars to support innovative pilot housing instruments currently being undertaking in Ghana, South Tanzania and Swaziland. "We will be showcasing some of these pilot housing projects at the end of the Africa Union Summit to attract support from other donor organizations", he added.

He indicated that the group as part of its core objective shared experiences from member countries on housing, as housing was country-centered, to build capacities of the members to discharge their duties effectively.