Beneficiaries Praise Millard Fuller Foundation At Commissioning of 1000th Affordable House
A faith based non-profit organization, Millard Fuller Foundation (MFF) has distributed 248 units of affordable housing to deserving beneficiaries to solve their housing challenges. The ground breaking event took place today at the Family Homes Estate, Luvu-Madaki, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa to mark the dedication of MFF’s 1,000th House and unveiling of the One Million Naira ($2,500) housing unit constructed by the organization over a period of its 20 years of existence.
While appreciating the creative efforts of Millard Fuller Foundation, the special guest of honour and Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo expressed gratitude to the Chief Executive Officer of Millard Fuller Foundation, Sam Odia for proving housing to Nigerians who needs it the most as the most. He congratulated Mr. Sam Odia for providing a total of 1,000 homes to solve one of the basic challenges facing Nigeria as a nation which is housing owning to the country’s growing population.
Prof. Osinbajo decried that that, the population of Nigeria increases by over 5million each year thereby stretching the demand for housing. He stressed that, ‘Nigerians have been suffering from two spheres of housing challenges which are inadequate housing especially for low income earners and substandard houses that are highly inhabitable for people to stay in, forcing many citizens to live in scrambled houses with no toilet facilities making life uncomfortable and worsening, this shortcoming continue to grow day by day.
He said ‘lack of housing undermines the growth of the economy and have negative bearing on the living conditions of people with poverty affecting the feeding abilities of most families, he also said lack of quality houses affects the vibrancy of the economy and draws it backward’. According to the Vice President, Nigeria in a bid to solve the dreaded housing problems, initiated the Social Investment Programme (SIP) with a 500billion stake by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of works and housing to raise the quality of life among Nigerian through affordable housing.
On his part, the Governor of Nasarawa State Engr. Abdulahi Sule praised the Millard Fuller Foundation’s desire which is aimed at providing accommodation to the people of Nasarawa State. He said it has the been the commitment of the government in uplifting the living standard of the people adding that the state has on own its own, designed a mechanism for enabling affordable housing by building a high number houses per annum. Governor Sule further promised to build the 5 kilometer road that leads to the Luvu-Madaki settlement which host the estate and down to other neighboring villages like Panda.
Responding on behalf of Millard Fuller Foundation and its partners, the Managing Director of the organization Mr. Sam Odia said, he was delighted to have concerned citizens’ of Nigeria attending the event and assisting it in commissioning the and unveiling of the 248 Energy Efficient Grand Luvu 3B Estate which has added to make it the 1,000th built by the organization. He praised the Vice President for his tremendous support especially in coming to the estate to encourage them on the successful completion of the project which according to them is the first established low-cost housing units built by a non-profit organization in Nigeria.
He called on the President to help them in overcoming the challenge facing the organization which basically include road network and power supply. He thanked the Government of Nasarawa State, staff of the organization, partners from the International Community and good people of Nasarawa state for proving them the needed support to render this services. He said the estate apart from being cheap and affordable, will be a wonderful home if it is provided with road and steady power supply which will burst economic activities of people in the area.
Testimonies were offered by Mrs Naomi Fodania who expressed gratitude to MFF stating, it was a long journey in her dream to own a house of her own after passing through the hands of many fraudulent agents who deceived people with the desire of helping them acquire houses but finally, her dream has come to reality under the instance of the MFF.
In a similar view, another beneficiary, Aaron Idi, expressed satisfaction with the noble idea of Millard Fuller Foundation for bringing the idea of 10 per cent cooperative saving which to him as a civil servant has been instrumental in providing him a house.
Dignitaries present at the occasion were; Minister of State for Science and Technology, Mr. Muhammed Abdulahi; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Infrastructure, Ime Okon; Managing Director of Family Home Fund, Mr Femi Adewole; Chairman, Karu Local Government H. James Thomas; The Etsu Karu, HRH. Luka Babapanya, CEO MFF, Solomon Yaro; Members of the Nasarawa State Executive Council, Members of the State Assembly.
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