Some Nigerian builders have stressed the need for affordable but quality housing for Nigerians to form part of the national agenda for the 2023 elections.

The builders under the aegis of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) said the inclusion of the housing plan into the subsisting national discussion, would help to provide the needed shelter to teeming Nigerians in the future.

They made their positions known at the 2nd Annual Memorial Lecture for Otunba Fatai-Osikoya, a foremost builder in Lagos, who mentored most of the present nation’s builders.

The theme of the lecture was: “Agenda for Housing Development in Nigeria: 2023 in Perspective “.

Speaking at the event, the Guest Speaker, Mr. Femi Adewole, said that the availability of funds for mass housing was essential to deliver 300,000 homes by 2025 to shore up the housing deficit.

Adewole decried incessant building collapse in the country In recent times, calling on Nigerians especially those in the building industry to always engage the services of certified professionals as key to avoiding incidents of building collapse.

According to him, Nigeria’s building policy for the coming year should be such that will drive other social strata to stardom with a view to managing some of the crisis that has kept the people’s social standard low.

“One of the purposes of our gathering here is to honour Pa Osikoya and for the young generation of builders to learn from his legacies,” he said.

In her remark, the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, said the state actors were looking at the builders to reform the system to give Nigerians better shelter.

Also, a builder and discussant at the panel, Mr Olugbega Ismail, said the use of local materials instead of reliance on importation of inputs would to a large extent drive down the cost of construction.

Source: blueprint