Borno
The Borno State Government has initiated several housing programmes to meet the residents` housing demand.
Toward this effort, the state government recently inaugurated a committee to build 500 housing units in Maiduguri.
Upon completion, they will be sold on an Owner Occupier Housing Scheme (OOHS) to address problems of shelter in the state capital.
Governor Babagana Zulum said that the housing project would be completed next year.
He also approved the sales of 2,787 houses in five government estates, to persons who were allocated by previous administrations.
According to him, the five housing estates; comprise 1,000, 777, 505, 303, and 202 to be sold under OOHS.
The houses belong to the state government while the tenants are expected to pay annual rents to the government under the scheme.
The state has entered into an agreement with Family Homes Nigeria Limited, for the construction of 1,700 urban housing and 3,200 rural housing in the state.
The housing projects are to be executed through a public-private partnership.
Gov. Zulum said his administration will ensure a sustainable rural and urban housing development programme.
The state has signed a contract agreement for the construction of 1,700 houses for low income earners among civil servants in the state.
Similarly, the agreement also consist of construction of over three thousand houses to the internally displaced person in the rural area which will be paid by the state government in fifteen years while those for the civil servants will be deducted from their monthly salaries in twenty five years.
The project is in partnership with Family Homes Funds LTD as the financier.
Our assessment:
The State Governor Babagana Zulum has shown commitment to housing development in the state. Despite the Boko Haram insurgency, Gov. Zulum has not been deterred in making efforts in providing houses for the people of the state.
Bayelsa
The Bayelsa State Government says its housing programme is focusing on adequate housing estates to reduce the housing deficit being suffered by middle class and low-income earners in the state. Bayelsa State Government under Seriake Dickson places more emphasis on public- private partnership to deliver houses to the people of the state.
Some of the estates meant for the low income earners in the state are that of Ayama and Okaka residential low-cost housing estates under construction in Yenagoa.
The Ayama housing estate in Ogbia Local Government Area is built through direct labour comprises 150 housing units of one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats.
The Okaka housing estate is executed through contract comprises 16 units of 12 flats each.
The state government also partner with the Bank of Industry (BoI) to build 360 housing units worth N3billion to provide affordable housing to its citizenry.
Under the partnership, the government would contribute N1billion as counterpart fund to access the BoI’s N2billion facility for the housing project.
Out of the 360 housing units, 110 duplexes would be built in choice areas while 250 bungalows are to be located in high density areas.
The housing estates when completed would also enhance the aesthetics of the state capital and its environs.
Gov. Dickson said his administration was working out modalities for the allocation of the houses to prospective beneficiaries, including prices for each unit, which he promised to make affordable in line with the welfarist policies of the restoration government.
To give the housing scheme the desired push, Dickson while calling for more private sector participation, noted that government has commenced negotiation with some interested banks and the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).
The Bayelsa State Government will soon launch what it calls ‘the New Yenagoa City Development project, which is located in a highbrow area of the State capital. Already, a large expanse of land has been acquired for two major housing estates in Agbura and Anyama in the outskirts of Yenagoa.
Another estate is also planned for Boro Town in Kolokumo/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state.
Gov. Dickson said his administration is more concerned with low and medium scale housing.
Our assessment: The state government is making efforts to build houses affordable through public private partnership as well as create a beautiful environment in Yenagoa and its environs.
CROSS RIVER
The Ben Ayade led administration in Cross River state has not really delivered much in the housing sector. The last major housing project was in 2016 when the State Government, in conjunction with Post Service Housing Development limited (PHD) performed a ground-breaking ceremony of the Nigerian Army housing scheme in Calabar, in the bid to address the housing needs of retired military personnel. In the same vein, the partnership anchored by New Cities Development Board will also help address the challenges of housing deficit in the state.
Our assessment: The Cross River Property Investment Limited under the present administration is working and the state government also have a full ministry that is devoted for housing. While this is commendable, effort should be made by the governor to deliver the physical houses for the good people of Cross River state to see.
DELTA
The Delta state government is making tremendous progress in the area of delivering affordable housing for the people of the state. One of such projects is the 650 affordable housing units comprising 192 one-bedroom, 230 two-bedroom semi-detached terrace and 228 three-bedroom bungalows near Asaba. The project which was started in February 2018 with initial N500 billion capital was funded by the Family Homes Funds, a social housing initiative of the Federal Government.
In 2018, in a bid to reduce housing gap, the Delta State government launched the D’Height Estate with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa calling on government and the private sectors to be committed to reducing the housing deficit in the country. Governor Okowa who spoke at the estate construction site in Asaba, said, “this housing project is expected to bridge the housing gap in our state and our nation.”
The 108 housing units of D’Height Estate is located within the premises of Low Cost Estate for Civil Servants in Asaba and are being constructed by the Delta Development and Property Authority (DDPA).
Our assessment: Delta state governor should be commended for giving Family Homes Fund all the support to deliver some number of houses for the workers in Asaba.
The state expressed its readiness to engage in more collaboration to deliver more houses in the state. Delta state government has its own mortgage bank ‘Delta mortgage bank,’ which is one of the surviving mortgage banks in the country.
Our assessment
The governor should sustain its effort to attract private developers in the area of affordable housing.
EBONYI
For the Dave Umahi administration, provision of affordable housing for the people of Ebonyi state has been quite challenging in the last three years. However, the state government began discussions with Family Homes Funds towards the finance of affordable homes in Ebonyi state for 2020. The Ebonyi houses are part of the plans by the FHF to deliver 40,000 homes this year.
The only other most recent effort by the state government was in March 2017 when the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) delivered 72 housing units to the Ebonyi State Government for the use of its civil servants.
The houses are located at Ezzambgo, Ohaukwu council area of Ebonyi and were commissioned by the then Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Shehuri.
The project known as the FMBN/Ebonyi State Housing Development Corporation’s housing estate, has a total of 240 housing units with 72 units completed. The housing units consist of 5 units of 3-bedroom fully detached bungalows, 30 units of 3-bedroom semi-detached bungalows and 12 units of 2-bedroom terrace. It also consists of 20 units of 2-bedroom semi-detached bungalows and 5 units of 1-bedroom terrace.
Our assessment:
The governor is doing well in the area of capital project with no much interest in affordable housing.
ENUGU
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi prides himself as a governor who is committed to delivery of affordable housing for the people of Enugu state.
Gov. Ugwuanyi‘s administration through the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation has delivered housing estates such as Citadel, Heritage, WTC, Valley, Rangers 1&2,Transparency and Sandview with decent facilities in the state.
Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was commended over his mass housing scheme for the people by the immediate past National President of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria, (REDAN) Rev. Ugochukwu Obiora Chime. Chime had commended the Governor especially for his unrelenting commitment at ensuring that the people of the Coal City state enjoy the dividends of democracy through the provision of the housing scheme for them.
In 2019, the Enugu government began the construction of housing projects for civil servants in the state through the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation. The corporation has acquired over five sites in Enugu metropolis and outskirts of the city for housing estates, just as it said there are also provisions for houses for the medium and high income earners. Among the sites currently being developed are Ugwuoba Housing, meant for civil servants who shuttle between Enugu and Anambra States; Coal City View at Agu Abor and Rangers Estate at Akagbe Ugwu.
Our assessment: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state is committed to housing development in the state. The state owned Housing Development Corporation is embarking on project in various places in the state. The state is working with several private developers in the state to improve its housing stock which is commendable.
EDO
Edo state has witnessed some sort of revolution in the housing sector since Godwin Obaseki became governor. The state had the first set of homeowners in Governor Obaseki’s affordable housing project, Emotan Gardens, moved into their property in 2019. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, inaugurated the 100 housing units at Emotan Gardens in Benin City, Edo State.
In addition to this, as part of efforts to boost the development of affordable housing in the state, the Edo State Government also came up with plans to develop a 369-unit Estate in Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of the state.
The project is being spearheaded by the Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA). The project is part of a holistic plan to maximise Edo’s land across the three senatorial districts to drive affordable housing development for the masses.
In recognition of the role of the private sector in the provision of affordable houses in the state, the Edo state Government in 2019 also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a private company, Iron Projects Limited, for the building of affordable houses in the state.
Our assessment: Governor Obaseki on the assumption of office, called for a meeting with all the leading housing stakeholders in the country. With that the state government has been delivering houses in some parts of the state. The state owned Property Development Company is presently collaborating with Mixta in delivering some houses in the state. He can do better in the area of housing delivery to the people of Edo state.
EKITI
The major housing project in Ekiti state appears to be only the Federal Government`s interventions under the National Housing Project.
The project was designed by the Federal Government in 2016 in order to ameliorate the sufferings of poor Nigerians in the state of affordable shelter.
The housing project consists of 70 flats set for the first phase, which includes; one-bedroom flats, two-bedroom flats, three-bedroom flats together with semi -detached bungalow.
Our assessment:
Not much can be seen in the area of affordable housing delivery in Ekiti state.
GOMBE
Not much has been heard of the housing delivery efforts of Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya since his inauguration in May 2019.
Our assessment: Not much can be said on the activities of Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state in the area of housing provision to Gombe people.
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