By : Ogine Victor
As part of its contribution towards addressing the housing crisis in Nigeria, the Nasarawa state government is set to construct 2,000 blocks of houses, targeted for low and medium income workers in the state.
Going by the UN 2020 data, housing deficit in Nigeria stands at over 22 million. For analyst, that is quite huge.
However, the Initiative by the state government is a tripartite agreement with Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and the Family Homes Fund (FHF) to provide 2,000 houses in the state.
It is expected that the tripartite agreement signed in Government House, Lafia would provide associated financing requirements which would enable workers to purchase the houses on completion.
Governor Abdullahi Sule, while speaking at the ceremony said that the agreement was in line with his administration’s policy thrust as enshrined in the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy (NEDS), which has housing as its key area of interest.
The signing of the agreement, according to Governor Sule, would create wealth, employment opportunities, boost economic activities in the state and provide houses for the less privileged workers who are earning less than N100, 000 monthly.
He appreciated the FMBN for partnering with the FHF and thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the idea, which is aimed at ensuring that the less privileged members of the society acquired homes towards addressing challenges of housing deficits in the country.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the FHF, Mr. Femi Adewole, described the signing of the agreement as a landmark event; as he pledged his firm readiness to commit N6 billion in executing the project.
He further posited that the project would also create at least 100, 000 jobs, both direct and indirect, at the construction sites, as well as through the multiplier effect in the downstream. Earlier in his address, the Managing Director of the FMBN, Mr. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, said the tripartite agreement would strengthen the level of collaboration and partnership with the bank and Nasarawa State.
