In this time of Coronavirus and national lockdown, Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has called on all public and private stakeholders to provide measures that will provide succor the most vulnerable people in the society.
In a statement signed by the group’s President, Festus Adebayo, this call is important because the group has critically evaluated the CBN economic intervention policies at this time of coronavirus and observed the lack of provision for the real estate sector – a very critical sector at this time of national lockdown.
‘’This is not right because a lot of the people we are asking to stay home don’t even have a home. Many real estate developers and mortgage banks are operating based on loans. How is government intervening in that respect?
‘’At this crucial time, we call on the government to roll out palliatives in the area of rental payment,mortgage payment obligations, downward review of interest rates etc Lest,occupiers of mortgages houses might lose them at this time of nothing is done by the government to support them,’ he said.There should also be a break in mortgage payment while interests are also reviewed downward. Even those who are living in mortgaged houses might lose them at this time if nothing is done by the government to support them”,he said.
The statement desires a policy declaration from the government that will address the struggle of NHF loans subscribers, especially civil servants. With the national lockdown, a few months break from the payment of the loans will help subscribers use their lean resources to cater for their families. HDAN believes that the government can work out a good plan with the Federal Mortgage Bank.
According to Adebayo, these are urgent recommendations to the government as a way to rescue the vulnerable and poor masses at this time.
In particular, HDAN is urging the authorities of Lagos state and FCT to open a homeless peoples’ register for citizens who have no home but live in shanties or squatting in heavily congested rooms with very poor conditions.
‘’We also call on religious bodies to join this collaboration with public authorities which will enable the provision of up to six months free accommodation for the most affected persons this period, even if they are temporary arrangements.
‘’Obviously, the government cannot do it alone. We commend what the private sector is currently doing but we cannot afford to ignore the homeless in our cities. There are many people living under bridges, in slums, and uncompleted buildings. Providing decent shelter for them at this time can be an effective way of limiting the spread of the virus.’’
Adebayo notes that there are many vacant houses that can become temporary shelters for homeless people and that stakeholders should do everything possible to allow them have access to them, even if it will require govt or religious bodies paying for them.
‘’This is one great thing that government can do. Open a register that collects the details of homeless people. Then any time they have a place for them, they invite them. This is the best way to cushion the effect of social distancing and isolation,’’ he said.
According to HDAN, the government needs to incorporate housing sector bodies into its recent pandemic act to enable and allow housing sector bodies like Federal Housing Authority, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company, Family Homes Funds and others to actively participate and come up with creative ways to salvage the situation by rendering solutions for addressing housing vulnerability. The pandemic act should of necessity include the suspension of utility fees collection like water and electricity and where possible rental fees on government owned housing and property as part of the immediate solutions.
In a country of 200 million people, the homeless situation in Nigeria is really grim. Over 50 per cent of Nigerians live in slums and make-shift shanties where the conditions are below minimum living standards. These slums make it easy for the spread of diseases.
Adebayo also mention that the situation is equally troublesome in the north where millions of people are displaced by Boko Haram while others are living in poorly set up IDP camps across the country. If the country must fight the spread of this virus, it must quickly make arrangements for these people, he advised.
In addition to providing shelters, Adebayo also emphasize the need for stakeholders to provide daily handouts and free meals for these people, else they will be forced out of their shelters in search of food.
He commends the federal government’s decision to continue with its unconditional cash transfers to the poorest and encourages the need for due diligence so that it gets to those who truly needs it, and not diverted by corrupt officials.
Adebayo further states that the end of this pandemic should offer our government an opportunity to really think about the issue of housing in Nigeria. While President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2016, promised to build 1 million homes a year to address the housing deficit, between then and now, the situation, he said is not much different. In spite of ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Works and Housing, there is still a lot of work to be done, he said.