1,500 Saglemi Houses to be completed by end 2027

LMI Homes, a subsidiary of QUARM–LMI Holdings, has committed to completing the first 1,500 units of the long-delayed Saglemi Affordable Housing Project now christened Saglemi City by the end, of 2027, with 700 houses expected to be ready for occupation by March 2027, as the private developer moves to transform the abandoned development into a fully serviced residential community.

The commitment has renewed attention on one of Ghana’s most prominent but troubled housing projects, which was originally conceived as a 5,000-unit affordable housing estate but stalled for years amid investigations, legal difficulties and extensive vandalism that stripped the partially completed buildings of electrical cables, fittings, windows and other installations.

Following a decision by the government to partner with the private sector to revive the project, LMI Holdings has assumed responsibility for both the financing and execution of the current phase, taking on the task of not only completing the housing structures but also putting in place the roads, electricity, water, telecommunications and other systems required to make Saglemi a functioning community.

The scale of the assignment was underscored during President John Dramani Mahama’s inspection of the project, who said the revival represented an opportunity to rescue an important national housing asset from years of neglect and bring it into productive use.

According to the project details, 1,506 housing units have been constructed on approximately 299.59 acres of land, although 118 of the units were at foundation level when the project was taken over.

LMI Homes has since completed more than 100 housing units, several of which were inspected by the President.

The current programme is expected to deliver the first 1,500 completed homes, after which work will move immediately into the remaining 3,500 units envisaged under the original 5,000-unit project.

From abandoned estate to planned community

The Saglemi project has a history stretching back to the administration of the late President Professor John Evans Atta Mills.

President Mahama, speaking during the inspection, recalled that the project began as a vision under the Mills administration and that he had the opportunity to continue it during his previous tenure as President.

He said the project subsequently suffered a major setback following a change of government, when legal and investigative issues emerged and construction was halted.

The prolonged interruption, he said, created an opening for extensive vandalism at the site.

According to President Mahama, looters entered the abandoned estate and removed electrical cables, wash basins, bathtubs, fittings, bulbs and even underground telecommunications cables.

What remained, he said, were largely empty shells of buildings that had once been intended to provide affordable accommodation for Ghanaian families.

The damage went beyond the physical structures. The stripping of the site meant that a project that had already absorbed substantial public resources required further investment before it could become habitable.

The President said the eventual decision to bring in the private sector was therefore aimed at ensuring that the project did not remain another unfinished public development.

Government subsequently agreed that a private-sector partner should assume responsibility for completing the project, with LMI Homes selected to undertake the task.

President Mahama expressed confidence that the renewed development would produce a modern residential community capable of accommodating thousands of Ghanaian families.

He urged prospective homeowners to register promptly once the sales portal was opened, warning that demand could be high, particularly because of the growing industrial activity in the surrounding area.

He said workers from industries stretching from the Saglemi corridor through Tema and the Dawa Industrial Park could become major prospective occupants of the estate if Ghanaian families delayed securing the homes.

The President, however, stressed that the estate was not being developed exclusively for industrial workers.

It would also serve Ghanaian families seeking to own homes in a planned residential environment with supporting infrastructure and improved access to economic centres.

Water, roads and rail to support Saglemi

A central feature of the renewed Saglemi City development is the emphasis on infrastructure beyond the houses themselves.

President Mahama said government and its partners were working to ensure that the estate received the supporting infrastructure necessary for residents to live and work comfortably.

One of the most important interventions is water supply.

The President recalled that during an earlier visit to the area to cut the sod for a solar power project, he inspected the water treatment plant serving the Dawa Industrial Park.

According to him, the plant has capacity beyond the requirements of the industrial park, creating an opportunity to channel surplus treated water to Saglemi.

He said the remaining excess could subsequently be transmitted to the Tema Industrial Area in collaboration with the Ghana Water Company.

The arrangement, he suggested, would create a broader water-supply network serving the expanding industrial and residential corridor.

Road connectivity is another major component.

President Mahama said the government was dualising the road from the area towards Aflao, with the first phase already under construction and the second phase, stretching from Central University, being awarded.

The improved road network, he said, would provide residents with faster and more efficient access to other parts of the Greater Accra Region and the Volta corridor.

But the President also pointed to a longer-term transportation transformation involving rail.

He said a railway connection was planned to carry both passengers and cargo, including containers and industrial goods from the Tema Port directly towards the industrial park.

The combination of road and rail infrastructure, he argued, would fundamentally change the character of the area, transforming it into a major industrial and residential growth corridor.

Saglemi linked to Green Digital City vision

President Mahama placed the Saglemi development within a wider urbanisation strategy, saying the estate fitted into the government’s concept of a Green Digital City.

He said the proposed new urban zone would stretch from the Saglemi corridor through Bundase, across the former military firing range and towards the Volta Lake.

The vision, he explained, was to create an entirely new urban growth zone capable of absorbing population and economic activity while connecting residential communities to industrial and commercial centres.

Against this background, he described the partnership between the Ministry responsible for Housing and the private developer as an important step towards reviving the Saglemi project and integrating it into the emerging economic corridor.

He expressed the hope that the first 700 houses would be commissioned around Easter next year, with the remaining units in the first phase completed and commissioned by December.

The President reiterated that the current phase represented only the first 1,500 units of the original 5,000-unit Saglemi concept.

Once those homes are completed, he said, work would immediately begin on the remaining 3,500 units.

Mortgage support aimed at easing home ownership

President Mahama also connected the Saglemi project to government’s broader objective of expanding home ownership and reducing the pressure on Ghanaian households caused by high rent advances.

He said financial institutions had developed mortgage products to support prospective homeowners.

The Home Ownership Fund he said was prepared to offer eight percent interest rate on mortgages while Ecobank Ghana, LMI Homes mortgage partner is providing 10 percent interest rate on the purchases of Saglemi City houses.

The objective is to make the houses accessible to a wider section of the population rather than restricting ownership to people with substantial upfront capital.

President Mahama argued that increasing the supply of affordable and social housing would help more Ghanaians move from renting into home ownership.

At the same time, greater housing supply could ease pressure on the rental market and make accommodation more affordable for those who continued to rent.

He noted that Ghanaian law already provides that rent advance should not exceed six months, but acknowledged that enforcement remains difficult because landlords and tenants often fail to report violations.

For the President, therefore, the durable solution is not simply stricter enforcement but a significant expansion of decent and affordable housing supply.

He stressed that Saglemi would not be the final housing intervention.

Government, he disclosed, was preparing a major national housing programme to be announced by the Finance Minister in the next budget.

He also pointed to the District Housing Scheme, for which GH¢500 million had been allocated in the year’s budget, saying construction would begin in selected districts as part of a housing programme expected to unfold over the next four years.

LMI Holdings CEO makes public completion pledge

Chief Executive Officer of LMI Holdings, Kojo B. Aduhene, gave one of the strongest assurances of the inspection, publicly committing himself to the project’s delivery schedule.

He said he was making the commitment publicly so that the company could be held accountable for it.

Aduhene went further to suggest that the developer was already ready to begin the commercialisation process.

“If anyone wishes to purchase a house now, we are ready to begin the sales process,” he said, adding, humorously, that the Deputy Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources had offered to serve as the company’s sales agent.

Behind the humour was a serious message: LMI wanted prospective homeowners to understand that the development had moved beyond the stage of being an abandoned construction site and was being repositioned as a housing estate ready for occupation.

The CEO said construction was progressing steadily, with necessary materials secured, site clearing continuing and underground electrical cabling being installed.

The cabling, he explained, was intended to provide modern and reliable electricity infrastructure throughout the community.

Water solution takes shape

Aduhene identified water supply as one of the biggest challenges confronting the development but said that problem was now being addressed.

He announced that a new water treatment plant at Dawa was ready, while the pipeline connecting the system had already been laid.

An overhead reservoir was also nearing completion.

Together, he said, the facilities would provide sufficient water for the entire Saglemi community.

The emphasis on water reflects a central aspect of the developer’s approach: that completing buildings alone would not constitute completion of the project.

For Saglemi to become a viable community, residents would require dependable water, electricity, communications, transport and security infrastructure.

The developer is therefore positioning the project as an integrated community rather than simply a collection of houses.

Fibre connectivity promised for every home

Another major component outlined by Aduhene is digital infrastructure.

He said LMI was extending high-speed internet connectivity directly into the development.

According to him, Google had established infrastructure at Dawa and LMI was already laying fibre-optic cable between Dawa and Saglemi City.

The commitment is that every house in the development will have fibre connectivity.

This, Aduhene said, would give residents access to reliable, high-speed internet while an internal communication system would allow residents to connect directly with estate security and management services.

The digital component is significant because the developer is seeking to position Saglemi as a modern residential community capable of supporting contemporary lifestyles, including remote work, online education, digital commerce and access to services.

Aduhene stressed that the commitments were not being made casually.

He asked stakeholders and the public to take him at his word and hold him accountable for delivering them.

Railway vision could reshape commuting

The LMI Holdings CEO also highlighted the proposed railway as one of the potentially transformative elements of the development.

He said discussions with President Mahama had focused on a railway line that would connect Saglemi City with the Dawa Industrial Zone and the wider Tema enclave.

The vision, he explained, was to enable people living at Saglemi City to work in Tema without enduring long road journeys.

Instead, residents would be able to walk to a railway station, board a train and travel comfortably to work.

The railway would also benefit people living in Ashaiman, Afienya and surrounding communities, according to Aduhene.

He framed the transport intervention as part of a broader social objective: enabling hardworking Ghanaians to move away from shanty settlements and overcrowded communities into decent homes connected to places of employment.

The vision therefore extends beyond housing into urban planning, transport and economic integration.

Deputy Minister recalls scale of deterioration

Deputy Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Gizella Akushika Tetteh-Agbotui, provided a vivid account of the condition in which the development had been left.

She said windows had been broken and smashed, while cables had been cut along corridors, walkways and within the houses.

Her remarks highlighted the extent to which the site had deteriorated after construction stopped.

She contrasted that condition with the work now being undertaken by the private developer.

According to her, the changes were sufficiently significant to surprise observers who had previously seen the abandoned structures.

She expressed confidence that the developer’s work would enable the project to meet the stated deadline and ensure that the development did not go to waste.

For the Deputy Minister, the significance of the intervention lies in adding the completed estate to Ghana’s housing stock at a time when the country faces a major housing deficit.

A diverse housing mix for different needs

The Saglemi development is not based on a single housing design.

The project comprises a mixture of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units designed to accommodate different household sizes and residential requirements.

The development includes 218 one-bedroom units.

Each has a bathroom, kitchen, dining area and living space, with the units occupying approximately 35 square metres.

The two-bedroom category contains several configurations.

There are 434 two-bedroom flat units, each with one bathroom, kitchen, dining and living space, occupying approximately 60 square metres.

Another 288 units of a similar configuration have also been developed on the same land size.

The development also includes 44 two-bedroom detached units, each comprising one bathroom, kitchen, dining and living space, on approximately 628 square metres of land.

The three-bedroom category similarly offers different options.

There are 44 three-bedroom detached houses, each with one en-suite bedroom, an additional bathroom, kitchen, dining and living areas, on approximately 843 square metres of land.

Another 360 three-bedroom flats have been constructed, each with one en-suite bedroom, an additional bathroom, kitchen, dining and living space, on approximately 79 square metres.

The project also includes 118 three-bedroom patio houses, each with one en-suite bedroom, three bathrooms, kitchen, dining and living space, occupying approximately 133 square metres.

The range is intended to provide prospective homeowners with choices based on household size, affordability and preferred housing form.

LMI Holdings’ 3-decade development record

A major argument underpinning the selection of LMI Holdings for the Saglemi assignment is its experience in large-scale infrastructure and economic development.

The company brings more than three decades of experience in industrial development, infrastructure and integrated economic zones.

Its record, according to the project material, extends beyond conventional real estate development.

The company’s development model has involved transforming undeveloped land into functioning economic communities while simultaneously providing roads, drainage, electricity, water, telecommunications and logistics infrastructure.

That experience is particularly relevant to Saglemi City because the project requires more than the completion of residential structures.

It requires the creation of a community that can operate sustainably once residents move in.

LMI Holdings’ proposition is therefore built around the distinction between constructing buildings and developing the systems that allow communities and businesses to function.

Tema Free Zone: the foundation of the track record

One of the most significant milestones in LMI Holdings’ history is its development of the Tema Free Zone Enclave.

The company began developing the enclave in 1999 in partnership with a Malaysian firm before eventually taking full control of the development.

Today, the enclave covers approximately 1,000 acres, with the Government of Ghana holding about 300 acres and LMI Holdings controlling approximately 700 acres.

The significance of the development is not merely its size.

The company developed supporting infrastructure from the ground up, including internal roads, drainage systems, electricity infrastructure and serviced industrial plots for export-oriented manufacturers.

This experience provides a useful parallel for Saglemi City.

The challenge at Saglemi City is not simply to finish houses that already exist.

The larger task is to ensure that the homes form part of a properly serviced and sustainable community.

The Tema Free Zone experience also demonstrates LMI Holding’s capacity to attract major commercial tenants.

The enclave hosts multinational and Ghanaian businesses including Cargill, Bari Kalibo, Chukumak, 3F, Ulam, a shea nut processor, Bangilodas, B5, Simath Cement and Imperial Logistics.

The presence of such companies demonstrates, according to the project material, the company’s ability to create environments capable of attracting businesses willing to invest and establish long-term operations.

For Saglemi, the relevance is that residential communities also require economic activity, services, employment opportunities, connectivity and utilities.

Dawa City expands the development footprint

LMI Holdings subsequently extended its development ambitions towards the Dawa Industrial Zone along the Aflao Road.

That development later evolved into the broader Dawa City concept.

The expansion was driven partly by growing demand for industrial space around Tema and limitations on the availability of additional land for large developments.

The company responded by assembling a much larger land bank.

It has since acquired and consolidated approximately 15,000 acres for Dawa City, making it one of the largest privately coordinated land development initiatives in Ghana, according to the project material.

The scale of Dawa City demonstrates an ability to manage projects requiring long-term planning, substantial infrastructure investment, land assembly and coordination across multiple components.

That capacity is central to the case being made for LMI Holdings at Saglemi.

The developer is expected to look beyond the completion of individual houses and consider the wider requirements of a functioning community.

Power infrastructure strengthens the case

Electricity is another area in which LMI Holdings has built experience.

Through Enclave Power Company, the group has invested in a major bulk electricity supply station described as twice the size of the Achimota substation.

The company purchases bulk electricity from the Volta River Authority and distributes it to businesses operating within the Tema Free Zone and Dawa enclaves.

The integrated approach has enabled the company to provide power reliability of up to 99 per cent to its tenants.

For Saglemi, such experience is important because a residential development involving thousands of homes requires dependable electricity infrastructure.

The company is therefore bringing to the project experience in designing, financing, operating and maintaining an integrated electricity distribution system rather than relying solely on conventional house construction.

Water and digital infrastructure experience

Water infrastructure is another pillar of LMI Holding’s development model.

The company has invested in a US$30 million IFC-backed water treatment plant intended to address chronic water shortages within its industrial developments.

It also purchases bulk water from Ghana Water Company Limited and redistributes it to tenants.

That experience is particularly relevant to Saglemi, where water supply is among the basic requirements for turning completed structures into an operational residential community.

The company’s experience also extends to telecommunications.

LMI Holdings has developed fibre-optic infrastructure across its industrial zones, providing internal communications and broadband connectivity to tenants.

Bandwidth is procured from international providers, including C-Squared, and redistributed within the enclaves.

The company has therefore developed capabilities that extend beyond property into infrastructure and telecommunications operations.

That experience is expected to support the planned fibre connectivity for Saglemi, where every home is expected to have access to high-speed internet.

Railway and logistics experience

LMI Holdings’ development record also includes logistics infrastructure.

The company has participated in the development of the railway line linking Tema to Mpakadan in the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region.

Its commitment to railway infrastructure was further demonstrated in 2017 when it commissioned a railway sleeper manufacturing plant producing concrete sleepers for rail construction.

The facility was intended to supply sleepers for infrastructure projects, reducing dependence on imports and supporting project delivery.

That experience fits into the wider transport vision being articulated for Saglemi and the surrounding industrial corridor.

The objective is not merely to construct a residential estate but to connect residents to employment centres, industrial zones and major transport networks.

From houses to a functioning community

The central question surrounding Saglemi is therefore no longer simply whether houses can be completed.

The bigger test is whether the development can finally become the functioning community that earlier plans envisioned.

The project requires unfinished structures to be completed, essential infrastructure installed and integrated, neighbourhoods created and a sustainable model established for long-term management.

LMI Holdings’ experience is being presented as relevant because its projects bring together land development, roads, drainage, electricity, water, telecommunications, industrial services and logistics.

That integrated approach differs from a conventional property-development model in which the developer constructs houses while separate institutions remain responsible for most of the infrastructure.

For Saglemi, the distinction could prove crucial.

A completed house without dependable electricity, water, roads, communications, security and transport would not solve the underlying problem.

The objective is therefore to ensure that the estate works as a complete residential environment.

A long-term test for LMI Holdings

The developer’s three-decade record also provides the basis for a long-term development philosophy.

The company’s investments have evolved over many years, with infrastructure expanded and new businesses and economic activities attracted to its developments.

That approach could be important for Saglemi, where the ultimate measure of success should go beyond the number of houses handed over.

The more fundamental test will be whether residents can live in a well-serviced, connected and economically sustainable community.

The experience of Tema Free Zone and Dawa City suggests that LMI Holdings’ model combines property development with infrastructure, utilities, connectivity and economic activity.

Applied effectively to Saglemi, that model could transform the project from a long-delayed housing scheme into a broader urban community.

The road ahead: delivery will be the real test

Despite the optimism surrounding the revival, the scale of the undertaking means delivery will remain the central test for LMI Holdings.

The company has publicly committed itself to a demanding schedule, with 700 homes targeted for completion by March 2027 and the first 1,500 units expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

President Mahama has explicitly asked the developer to deliver on its commitment, indicating that the next major assessment will come when government and prospective homeowners return to the site to inspect the progress.

The developer’s responsibility also extends beyond construction.

It must ensure that water, power, digital connectivity, roads, drainage and other infrastructure are delivered in line with the housing programme.

The proposed railway and broader development of the Dawa-Tema corridor will add another dimension to the project’s potential, linking Saglemi residents to industrial and commercial opportunities.

If those elements come together, the estate could become a significant component of the housing and urban-development transformation taking place along Ghana’s eastern growth corridor.

Saglemi as a new chapter in Ghana’s housing story

The revival of Saglemi represents an attempt to recover value from a project that had become a symbol of unfinished public infrastructure.

The estate was conceived as a 5,000-unit affordable housing development, but years of delay and vandalism left portions of it in a severely deteriorated state.

The current phase seeks to reverse that history through private-sector financing, construction and integrated infrastructure development.

For President Mahama, the project fits into a larger effort to expand home ownership, reduce dependence on expensive rental arrangements and increase Ghana’s stock of decent and affordable housing.

For LMI Holdings, it is an opportunity to apply more than three decades of experience in developing industrial enclaves, large land areas and infrastructure networks to one of Ghana’s most prominent housing projects.

Its track record spans the approximately 1,000-acre Tema Free Zone Enclave, the approximately 15,000-acre Dawa City development, integrated electricity distribution, large-scale water infrastructure, fibre-optic networks and railway-related investments.

The company is therefore seeking to demonstrate that its strength lies not merely in constructing buildings but in building the systems around them.

That distinction could ultimately determine whether Saglemi succeeds where previous efforts faltered.

The immediate target is 700 homes by March 2027.

The broader target is 1,500 completed units by the end of 2027.

And beyond that lies the original ambition of completing the remaining 3,500 units and establishing Saglemi as a fully integrated residential community.

For thousands of prospective homeowners, the significance of the project will ultimately be measured not by announcements, construction statistics or ceremonial commissioning, but by whether they can move into secure, affordable and properly serviced homes.

For government, the project represents a chance to recover an important national housing asset and add substantially to the country’s housing stock.

For LMI Holdings, it is a high-profile test of whether its three decades of experience in infrastructure-led development can be successfully transferred from industrial and economic zones to large-scale affordable housing.

And for Saglemi itself, the latest phase marks perhaps the most consequential attempt yet to turn a long-delayed promise into a living community.

If the developer meets its commitments, the first 700 families could be moving into their homes in 2027, with the first phase of 1,500 units completed before attention turns to the remaining 3,500.

The transformation would represent more than the completion of unfinished houses.

It would mark the conversion of a previously vandalised and abandoned site into a connected residential community linked to water, electricity, digital services, roads, rail and the expanding economic corridor around Tema and Dawa.

That is the larger promise now attached to Saglemi—and the benchmark against which LMI Holdings’ performance will ultimately be judged.