By Peace Anyanwu Ogedengbe
The covid-19 stay-at-home, is indeed an expose on how harzadous “homelessness” is, which is a product of possible oblivion to mortgage.
Housing is a major power house, of any society, every one deserves a home,”no place like home”, were the words of Nelson Mandela, having returned to his house, after several years in prison.
The coronavirus pandemic, has revealed a vast assortment of challenges, that slum dwellers and over 108 million homeless Nigerians go through.Most Nigerians roam the streets at night, not in defiance of the curfew, but because, they have no roof over their head.
Housing shortage in Nigeria, which is both qualitative and quantitative, is not allaying, as a lot of Nigerians, are not mortgage educated.Even those who are on paid employment or have a regular flow of income, are not aware of the mortgage system of housing.
Mortgage, which entails lending of money by a bank or building society, in exchange, for taking title and all, can be virtually seamless, once a mortgage lender is contacted, because they are able to give all the necessary information, as regards affordable housing, cost of mortgage, mode of payment, and so on, with respect to the income/wages, of the borrower and help secure a suitable home.
Mortgage education, will not only alleviate poverty in the country, but will whisk many Nigerians, out of the dark cave of homelessness.
At no time has the need for mortgage education in Nigeria, been a matter urgency, as now, with this quagmire.
The Nigerian populace, need to have their eyes opened to mortgage, how it works and the need to key into it, as some are ignorant, others are afraid, while some others lack the access.
It’s a good thing the CBN seeks to intervene in the housing sector and the government seeks to set up schemes like “My own home” and the likes, to offer mortgage guarantee, that allows borrowers, with insufficient or no equity contribution, to access mortgage, for home ownership.
In this critical time, all hands must be on deck, both the government and private sectors, need to give a hand, to the low income earners, who have always had to bear the brunt.
The Housing Development Advocacy Network(HDAN),has maintained the frontline battle, against homelessness and slum proliferation, through several means, especially the media, which air the Housing Development Program, on various TV stations ,the program provides answers to housing questions, promotes the course of the mortgage system, amongst others.
Hence, it’s important, for mortgage banks, across the nation, to come out, with full fledged support for this platform, through various sponsorship of segments, of the program and so on.
With concerted efforts and supports, many Nigerians, would have a living condition, that befeats the living.
