Hundreds of families in Borno State are set for a new and happier life as Nigeria’s leading social housing finance Institution, Family Homes Funds Limited (FHFL) completes 700 new homes for low-income earners in partnership with the State Government.
Chibok and Yana Yaskuri, both important towns in Borno state have been in the news for heartbreaking incidents like terror attacks and the famous kidnapping of 276 young girls from a local school in Chibok in 2014. However, little is known of the significant progress being made to improve the quality of life of local people in these communities.
Through a partnership between the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari at the center and the energetic leadership of the State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, up to 3,200 families who have been displaced and often living in makeshift tents will have access to brand new homes in their original communities to start new lives. The scheme which is being financed by the Family Homes Funds will also provide up to 12,000 new jobs for young people and commence the long road towards rebuilding these communities.
The initial phase of the scheme comprising of 200 homes in Chibok and 500 homes in Yana Yaskuri have now been completed and handed over to displaced families. At the handover ceremony, the State Governor reiterated the State’s commitment to the programme.
‘’Our decision to embark on this project with our partners was influenced by the need to ensure protection and safety of our people. So, we are happy to present these homes to families that have been displaced and homeless for a long time now. We are also ready to relocate many more families as more homes are completed in other parts of the state. IDP camps have been faced with so many challenges, and we believe these homes will come as a great relief for the families. We shall continue to cooperate with our delivery partners till completion.’’
The Managing Director of the Family Homes Funds said that “our institution is absolutely focused on its responsibility for delivering on the Government’s agenda for ensuring that millions of Nigerians living in unacceptable housing conditions not only have access to a safe, decent and affordable home but sustainable jobs too. In that regard, we are pleased to have had the opportunity on behalf of the Government of President Buhari to support the Government of Borno State on this initiative which this week has started to impact lives directly. We look forward to the completion of the 3,200 homes within the next 9 months as planned.”
With over 11,615 homes either completed or in the process, Family Homes Funds projects in several states across the country like Delta, Nasarawa, Ogun, Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and others have employed at least 64,000 workers – directly and indirectly.
The company’s affordable housing projects provide jobs for contractors, developers, engineers, site supervisors, admin staff, property managers, artisans, masons, plumbers, electricians, iron benders, foremen, gardeners, laborers, cleaners, tillers, storekeepers, security guards, food vendors, suppliers, and other products and service providers tied to the construction sites.
Before the end of 2021, the company plans to finance the development of about 50,000 more homes for low-income earners like civil servants, traders, and members of cooperatives.
These affordable housing projects are not only a huge opportunity to help reduce Nigeria’s housing deficit, but they have been recognized by FHFL as drivers of post-covid recovery.
Since commencement of the project in Borno state, Family Homes Funds Social Impact Tracker shows that at different stages, over 7,100 workers rendering all sorts of supportive services have been engaged directly and indirectly.
The significance of this project in Borno can hardly be quantified. It is a new lease of hope for previously displaced persons and an opportunity for civil servants to finally own a home of their own. This is the reality that Family Homes Funds represents and continues to deliver on across Nigeria today.
Source: Vanguard
