NEWS: NIGERIA - President Buhari to build 40 Blocks of Housing estate in each state,FCT — Fashola

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Tuesday, revealed that there would be change in the policy direction of the Buhari’s administration in the settlement sector.

This, he said, would cERIA - ommence in the 2016 budget implementation, as the Federal Government would spend N10b to build low income housing estate in each of the state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It will be recalled that the Obasanjo’s administration upturned the policy of Shagari’s administration by declaring that government would no longer build houses for people to occupy, subsequently, he sold off all government houses built during Shagari era.

During Obasanjo government, the government through the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development was collaborating with the developers by providing lands for them to build ‘affordable’ housing estates. The policy direction that was replicated by both Ya’Adua and Jonathan governments.

However, Fashola unveiling Buhari’s administration agenda in the housing sector in Abuja, said there is need for the government to review the existing policy in the housing sector to address housing deficit in the country.

He said; “The Housing sector presents an enormous opportunity for positively impacting the economy to promote not only growth but inclusion.
“There have been a couple of National Housing policies and we intend to appraise the most current one to make changes only if necessary.
“Government will lead the aggressive intervention to increase supply, by undertaking construction of public housing and formulate policies that will invariably lead to private sector participation and ownership to reduce our housing deficit.”

Fashola maintained that the government would understudy ‘Jakande and Shagari’s housing estates model to develop an affordable housing unit for the masses, by building 40 blocks in each state.

He noted that the immediate past administration budgeted less in housing sector of the economy, the trends that would be reversed.
“So for us, consistency is key, annual spending is an imperative. We must change the budget for national housing from N1.8 Billion in 2015 to something in the hundreds of billions of Naira that matches our ambition.

“If we can spend N10 billion in each state and the FCT on housing alone every year subject to (a) the capacity to raise the money and (b) the capacity to utilize the funds having regards to our current construction methods and the time it takes to complete construction, which our ministry intends to change by research and industrialization of housing,” he said.

The minister explained that the government would embark on seminars and conferences to ensure proper capacity building for stakeholders in the sector to drive the new agenda.

According to him, “If we achieve this, we will move from where we are now, start construction in all 36 States and the FCT and sustain this as we go along.

“In the housing sector, if we complete our on-going projects, and we get land from the Governors in all states and the FCT to start what we know, using the Lagos Home model, we should start 40 Blocks of Housing in each state and FCT.

Drop your comments. Hit comment below,  and chose your sign in format like google account with gmail or open ID without signing in. Contributors with the Highest comments by December 23rd would be rewarded and announced here.

Follow Joshua Osagie on   facebook  (fan page)/ facebook personal account  and  twitter

ADVERTISE WITH THE FOREFRONT: +234-803-698-6103. For more details CLICK HERE NOW