The
Federal Government has started the construction of mass housing
projects in 33 states. It also plans to increase mobilisation funds
for contractors up to 50 percent to enable emerging contractors in
the building sector deliver their projects satisfactorily.
The
minister of Power, Works, and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who
revealed this at the sixth meeting of the National Council on Lands,
Housing, and Urban Development, told delegates at the event that with
ongoing housing projects, the government had fulfilled 90 percent of
the commitment it made at the 2016 council meeting.
Fashola
said, “At the time of the council meeting in August 2016, I
reported that we were finalising designs to accommodate our cultural,
climatic and other diversities. I had explained that when the designs
were completed, we would commence construction to pilot the designs
and test them for affordability and acceptability.”
He
added, “I am pleased to report that construction has started in 33
states where land has been made available. This is in fulfillment of
another commitment made at last year’s council by at least 90 per
cent.”
The
minister also stated that stakeholders had resolved to facilitate the
transfer of land title from states to the federal government through
the use of exchange letters. He also encouraged states that are yet
to comply to quickly do so.
“I
am happy to report that there has been very inspiring compliance
based on the several letters of exchange that I have received and
which I have duly signed. All I need say about this in terms of
compliance is that if there are still states yet to comply, they
should please do so very quickly,” he said.
Fashola
said that he had personally visited the project sites in Gombe,
Ekiti, Taraba, and Oyo states, adding that “what I saw demonstrates
to me very clearly how impactful the National Housing Programme has
been, even at the pilot and inception stage.”
He
also said that aside from the artisans involved in the construction
project, 653 contractors were engaged in the pilot scheme to deliver
2,736 units. “A total of 54,680 people were employed in the
process,” he added.
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