Nigeria’s leading housing sector advocacy group – Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello to order the conversion of some vacant houses in Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja to isolation centres for victims of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
As at 23rd March 2020, Nigeria already has over 30 confirmed cases of the virus, including 6 in Abuja, with more to be announced after ongoing testing are concluded.
According to the Group which has been at the forefront of affordable housing advocacy in Nigeria, it is time for the Minister to spring to action and grant access to some of those buildings which have been vacant and unclaimed for many years in the city.
According to its President, Festus Adebayo, the Nigeria health sector lacks the capacity to cater for the victims which are bound to increase on a daily basis now. If that be the case, he suggests that the Minister,who has been proactively responding to covid 19 management, should consider allowing buildings that have no owners to claim them to be used as isolation centres.
