Ghana government sets aside GH¢500m for Teachers’ Housing Project – President Mahama

The government has allocated GH¢500 million in the 2026 budget for the commencement of the Teachers’ Housing Scheme, also known as the Teacher Dabre Project. 

President John Dramani Mahama, who announced this, said the initiative aimed at promoting the welfare of teachers would be scaled up to GH¢1 billion in the 2027 budget. 

He made the announcement at the opening of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) 54th National Delegate Congress and Seventh Quadrennial Conference in Accra, on the theme: “Education and Development: The Ghana Education Service (GES) at 50: Reflecting, Reviewing, Revising, and Growing the Profession and the Unions.” 

The housing project is being implemented by Government in collaboration with GNAT and Republic Bank. 

President Mahama said this year, the Minister of Finance would pay the GH¢500 million into a revolving housing fund, with GNAT and Republic Bank also contributing. Teachers would apply for the scheme, and houses would be built in their preferred locations. 

He explained that if a teacher’s house coincided with their posting area, rent payments would go towards owning the property, ensuring that upon retirement, teachers would have their own homes. 

“We’re going to work out the modalities of the housing fund. This year, we’re putting GH¢500 million. Next year, we’ll put GH¢1 billion,” he said. 

The President said Government was exploring arrangements to make suitable lands available for the project and would request all districts to provide land for its implementation. 

“This collaboration is aimed at improving teachers’ living standards, strengthening retention in rural areas, and ensuring that those who educate the nation live with dignity and security,” he added. 

President Mahama highlighted other interventions, including payment of teacher training allowances in the 2025 budget, restoration of promotion eligibility up to the rank of director, and placement of over 30,000 diploma teachers who upgraded to degree status onto the appropriate salary scale. 

He said modalities were being developed for implementing a 20 per cent base pay incentive for teachers in deprived and hard-to-reach areas, stressing that these were strategic investments in quality education and national transformation. 

Commending GNAT, the President described it as one of Ghana’s most progressive and forward-thinking trade unions, noting its strong economic institutions such as the Teachers Fund, recognized for transparency and long-term value creation. 

He noted that the Teachers Fund was widely recognized as one of the best-managed workers’ funds in the country.  

President Mahama on behalf of GNAT, extended his appreciation to Mr Kwame Pianim, an eminent economist, for being the father of the Teachers Fund.  

He also lauded GNAT’s investments, including Aviance Ghana at Kotoka International Airport, hostels, its national headquarters with a multi-storey car park, and the Ghana-Sweden Medical Centre. 

He urged GNAT to explore partnerships under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund to diagnose and treat non-communicable diseases, including cancers. 

Reverend Isaac Owusu, GNAT National President, condemned recent attacks on teachers, declaring 2026 as a year of zero tolerance for assaults on educators. 

Source: GNA