President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday, December 17, cut the sod for the multi-million-dollar Oxygen City housing project at Agbokope, near Ho, saying it demonstrates the government’s commitment to ensuring that every region receives its fair share of national development.

The project, which comprises 200 affordable housing units for workers in its first phase, falls within the expanded mandate of the Tema Development Company (TDC) to provide housing across the country and is expected to be completed within 24 months.

The development will include shopping malls, educational and health facilities, an industrial park, a market and an entertainment centre, among other amenities.

The multi-storey two- and three-bedroom apartment project is expected to significantly reduce the housing deficit in the Ho Municipality while creating employment opportunities for the youth.

“Housing occupies a special place in the government’s Reset Agenda,” President Mahama said as he performed the sod-cutting ceremony.

He noted that the project would enable people to build different livelihoods within the same geographical space and stressed the need to move away from uncoordinated urban sprawl towards integrated, dignified and well-planned communities that respect the environment.

President Mahama described the Oxygen City project as a direct response to that challenge, saying it represents an integrated urban development that reflects the region’s growing status as an important educational hub, administrative centre, tourism destination and investment corridor.

“The Oxygen City will also serve as a catalyst for expanding housing supply and strengthening both domestic and foreign investment,” the President added.

He said the government’s overriding priority was people-centred development, emphasising that every national development project must translate into tangible benefits for local communities, jobs for the youth, opportunities for entrepreneurs and an improved quality of life for Ghanaian families.

President Mahama urged the private sector to take advantage of land set aside under the project for a four-star hotel and invest in the area for what he described as guaranteed returns.

The Minister for Works and Housing and Water Resources, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, commended the TDC for taking a bold step beyond Tema to address the housing needs of citizens across the country.

He said the Volta Region’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage continue to attract diverse investments and, for that reason, deserved a flagship development such as Oxygen City.

The Managing Director of TDC, Courage K. M. Nunekpeku, said the project’s location, just three minutes’ drive from the Ho Airport, added to its economic importance. He noted that Ho was expanding rapidly and required decent housing for workers.

According to him, the project aligns perfectly with national development priorities and presents opportunities for large-scale and profitable investment partnerships that would benefit future generations.

In a welcome address, the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, said the Oxygen City project was further evidence of the importance the government attaches to the Volta Region. He thanked the TDC for selecting Agbokope for the project and pledged the Volta Regional Coordinating Council’s full support to ensure its timely completion.

Chairman of the ceremony, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, said the commencement of the Big Push project in the region, the hosting of this year’s Farmers’ Day celebrations and the Oxygen City development were grounds for joy and gratitude.

He added that traditional authorities in the region had taken a firm stance to prevent illegal mining activities to ensure the smooth implementation of both the Big Push and Oxygen City projects.