The Housing Development Advocacy Network HDAN, has charged the Federal government to be proactive and spontaneous in containing the spread of Corona Virus COVID-19, through the speedy establishment of housing and healthcare interventions for building in the country.
HDAN gave the charge in a press release issued in Abuja on Wednesday, stating that necessary housing and healthcare intervention cannot be stepped aside especially when talking about curbing the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.
“We are calling on FG to establish housing and healthcare intervention at single interest rates and also roll out subsidy programmes for large-scale manufacturers of housing and consumables in addition to putting in place interest rate and housing rental holidays to keep prices low and ensure the economic cycle keeps creating surplus through housing and healthcare and commercial activity in line with what other major economies have done,” the statement said.
The President of HDAN, and convener of the renowned Abuja International Housing Show, Festus Adebayo, stated that other variables such as interest rates, rental and essential utilities costs amongst others must be factored into consideration as part of proactive and reactive measures towards stopping the spread of COVID-19.
“The government’s ability to successfully curtail the spread of the virus and the impact on housing sector will largely be linked to its ability to keep general consumer confidence up and inflation down. So far the Federal government’s efforts through the CBN has been focused on cutting interest rates for its intervention loans to large corporations. The actual consumers and SME’s impacted by interest rates, rental and essential utility cost and other daily lifestyle decisions have yet to be factored into the coronavirus response” he said.
He further stated that government should explore more reactive options of containing the virus as closing of borders alone will not suffice in checking the spread of the virus, especially when considering the peculiar situation of the Nigerian population and healthcare system.
“Shutting the borders alone will not be an effective response. This is premised on the fact that people cannot self-isolate or be placed in an effective quarantine situation where the housing provision is below standard and healthcare is virtually non-existent. Substandard housing and unplanned slums are playgrounds for growth and spread of all forms of social problems including but not limited to diseases like coronavirus. Healthcare and affordable housing have been proven to be effective in combating economic and social crisis. As much as this is a problem it also presents a huge opportunity for growth and development” he said.
Adebayo however called on government to begin massive public awareness programme on television and Radio in different local Languages and distribution of leaflets through institutions such as places of worship or work that can educate more Nigerians on preventive mechanism in curbing the spread of the deadly Corona virus.
