As surveyors hail governor on appointments into Housing ministry
AGAINST the backdrop of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s pledge to complete all abandoned housing projects, Housing Commissioner Moruf Akinderu-Fatai has said the ministry is ready to partner with core professionals to deliver on the promise.
He said Sanwo-Olu reposed confidence in professionals, especially estate surveyors &valuers, to deliver on his pledge.
He spoke when members of The Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors &Valuers (NIESV), Lagos State branch visited him.
The governor appointed Abdulhakeem Ayodeji Amodu, a surveyor into the Housing ministry as a Senior Special Assistant on Housing.
Akinderu-Fatai said: “With over 4,000 uncompleted projects, the Governor has directed that there is no new projects; we must finish the old ones and we are on top of it. We have done 492 units, we are moving to 360 units that will be ready in Igbogbo, 700 units in Sangotedo in the next six months, 600 units in Epe. We are also thinking to create two more estates in Egan by next year.”
He said the current administration continued with programme it met on ground. According to him mortgage is not something people can easily key into.
Akinderu-Fatai said: “If we ask for 30 per cent how many can bring it but government has reduced it to five per cent in its Rent-to-Own policy, meant for first-time buyers. The idea is to pay with 33.3 per cent of your annual salary at the rate of six per cent over the course of 10 years. Every month as you pay, you have it at the back of your mind that you are owning the house. We will continue and consolidate on the programme,” he said.
Responding, NIESV Lagos Chairman AdedotunBamgbola said: “We are here to stretch our hands of fellowship to the Commissioner, SA and SSA in order to help them fulfill the vision of the Governor for housing. We perceive that you are ready to achieve the goal. We have our people within and outside the ministry. What we can achieve collectively will boost your efforts.
We have a Research and Development Committee with members from public service, academia and private practice. We have skills in various areas, from valuation to property development to agency, to project management, and facility management. We will make ourselves available for whatever request you demand from us.”
Amodu commended NIESV for the visit and reiterated that the governor had interest in developing housing. He pledged that as a government they would ensure that affordable housing became a reality.
Source: thenationonlineng
