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“Nigeria has housing deficit of over 18 million” – Maren

By BusinessNews Staff on August 3, 2014

Plateau State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Solomon Maren, has disclosed that Nigeria currently has housing deficit of over 18 million, while Plateau has a deficit of 40,000 houses.
Maren said it was for this reason that the state government was partnering with relevant agencies to alleviate the suffering of Plateau people in this regard.

He spoke yesterday during the inauguration of the Mortgage/Social Housing Scheme at Shen in Jos South local government area embarked upon by Federal Urban Poor (FEDUP) Housing Scheme, in partnership with the state government. They are to provide 10,000 housing units across the 17 local government areas of the state, under Affordable Housing Scheme project.

Governor Jonah David Jang, who performed the foundation laying ceremony of the project, lamented that many civil servants have had to retire without owning their house, adding that such predicament underscored the need for the housing scheme

He however, disclosed with excitement that the Federal Government had approved housing estates for the state, adding that the houses were to be financed under an agreement with the Federal Mortgage Bank and Federal Housing Authority.

The governor said that the aim of the scheme was to provide affordable houses for the poor and vulnerable in the society, adding that with the flag off of the project, he had fulfilled his promise of providing cheap houses for Plateau people.

He said that the state government would soon embark on the Jos centenary new town development to deliver 10,000 houses while contract had been signed for 66 units of houses in the Kugya housing scheme for victims displaced from the Kugya crisis, adding the state owned First Capital Savings and Loans was being recapitalised to provide soft loans to the citizens of the state.

Jang, who also lamented that war and natural disasters had taken over not only Nigeria but the whole world, proffered genuine repentance and prayers as the only solution, adding that God has a way of dealing with a stubborn generation.

President and Chief Executive officer of FEDUP, Mr. James Ugah, said that the scheme was to provide 10,000 houses spread in the 17 local government areas of the state, adding the scheme was being undertaken in 34 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Ugah said that each of the 3-bedroom housing units cost N3 million, and beneficiaries have a repayment period of 15 years.

He said that the project, which has the backing of the World Bank was not profit-driven, but aimed at providing cheap and affordable houses for the poor, low and middle income earners.
According to Ugah, “This project, which is being flagged off today, is a practical demonstration of the commitment of both the state and Federal Governments to deliver sustainable dividends of democracy to the people. And on our own part, as partners in the transformation agenda, we are always available to work with relevant agencies to work on projects that would create jobs, reduce powdery and empower Nigerians.”

[This Day]

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