The Federal Government says it will not relent in its efforts to surmount the housing deficit of the country, which is put at 17 million.
The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing Mustapha Baba Shehuri stated this while commissioning 205 housing units at Karu in Nasarawa state which was financed by the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB) through the National Housing Fund.
According to Him, the National Housing models have been designed and approved for each geo-political zone.
He also stated that the Federal Government has began to actualize its plan of building mass houses for workers over the next three years, in order to bridge the gap of the 16 million deficit.
“The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing will continue to strive to ensure that the challenges of housing deficit in Nigeria which has been put at between 16 to 17 million units will be surmounted.
“With this, it has successfully completed housing units in some states to include Enugu, Imo, Taraba and Niger states.
And now it has successfully completed and commissioned 295 housing units for workers located at Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.
According to the Nasarawa State Deputy governor, the project is a pace setter for them to follow suit.
“We have already secured and donated lands in three senatorial districts of the state, hopefully the Federal Mortgage Bank will be leading a high powered team to Lafia, so that we can commence discussions regarding the project”
“We are ready to take off this year and we are good to go. We have seen a very good trend here, this is a pace setter project worth commending, emulating and we are on the same page with them”
Speaking on behalf of the chairman, Nigeria labour congress Ayuba Wabba, Chinwe Ehurum urged the Federal Government, the developers and the Federal Mortgage Bank to ensure that the houses are also livable.
“On behalf of the workers, we are happy with what is happening today however being the proverbial Oliver twist, we want to continue to ask for more especially in the forms of affordable and livable homes ”
“It is not just about building, we build and we see within couple of years the houses have crumble so I want to plead on the part of the developers, on the part of the FMB that in as much as we are trying to provide housing, let us provide houses that are affordable and livable at the same time.
The Nasarawa state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress Abdullah Adeka also commended the government for citing projects in Nasarawa state and appealed that the workers of the state to occupy a fifty percent benefit.
“I want to commend the developers and FMB for citing most of their projects in the Nasarawa axis”
The FMB speaking through its Acting Managing Director, Richard Esin said it remains committed in upholding the specifications of the partnership.
“I wish to assure your excellency that FMB remains committed to sustaining the partnership of your administration and provision of affordable housing”
