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New Government Policy to Build 1 million houses per annum

By on June 21, 2012

The Federal Government has approved a new housing policy that envisions the construction of 1 million houses on a yearly basis.

The Minister for Housing and Urban development, Ms. Amma Pepple disclosed this to journalists at the closure of yesterday’s Federal Executive Council meeting.

The new policy sets aside the 1991 Housing Policy as well as the Urban Development Policy initiated in 1997.

According to Pepple, “The policy, will help the country to build capacity for the sector through the establishment of skill acquisition centres each in the six geo-political zones in the country.

“The policy also takes into cognisance the need for maintenance, proper planning of the environment and the need to address the issue of urban renewal and slum upgrade, including the establishment of infrastructure in the areas.

“Another aspect addressed by the new policy is that of disaster management. But over and above this, the policy hopes to drive employment and income generation in the country. Far more than any other sector, housing offers more opportunities for economic growth and the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and driving income generation and welfare of the people.”

Also addressing the press on the development was minister of Information, Labran Maku.

He said, “For almost two decades, Nigeria has been struggling to bring up a new policy to facilitate the growth of housing provision in the country. In these two decades, we did not succeed in getting this policy through. But in the past one year, it has seen the ministry reaching out to all stakeholders, including the finance sector, to come out with efforts to address the sector.

“The new national policy came after painstaking consultations with all the stakeholders, including the organised private sector (OPS), the civil society organisations (CSOs) and the National Economic Council. It hopes to bring about real mass housing, which the country has been dreaming of. This policy emphasises the central role of the private sector, while the government concentrates on its role as a regulator. “We believe that when you give a man shelter, you provide him with dignity. The new policy will bring about the development of about one million houses annually.

“This policy introduces a new element that this country has never witnessed before. By social housing, what it means is that every citizen counts, because it is not just for the rich, or the low income earner, but for the poorest of the poor. Indeed, it emphasises the type of housing that will ensure that all Nigerians will have a shelter.”