Sale of housing units in FCT, 34 states starts soon – Presidency

The Presidency has said the sale of over 1,094 housing units completed by the Ministry of Works and Housing in the Federal Capital Territory and 34 states across the Federation would commence soon.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, made this known in a statement today.

He, however, did not specify the 34 states where the housing units are located but said the housing project created 455,048 direct jobs with 61,950 indirect ones.

Adesina said when Babatunde Fashola was sworn-in as the Minister of Works and Housing in August 2019, part of the expectations from him was to build quality houses for Nigerians at the lowest possible cost by constructing at least 200,000 housing units every year.

Adesina explained that the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) “has an unwavering focus on infrastructure: roads, bridges, rail, power, airports, houses, and many others” and “it is determined to reverse the severe deficit the country has”.

He lamented that “despite the humongous money we made from oil in the past two decades, infrastructure is rickety and decrepit”.

He said, “On housing, over 1,094 housing units have been completed across the country under the first phase, and construction works are ongoing in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“Advertisement for the sale of the houses will soon be published. In all the housing projects, 455,048 direct jobs have been created, with 61,950 indirect ones.”

Adesina said Fashola gave a report of his ministry at the last Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja and quoted him to have said, “It is undebatable that the government has made a very clear commitment for renewing and expanding Nigeria’s stock of infrastructure as a well thought out strategy for economic renaissance, diversification, and delivery of sustained and inclusive growth.

“This commitment includes the delivery of roads, bridges, affordable housing, and public buildings, which has exerted a huge strain on government resources that has compelled some borrowing,” adding that “this is borrowing for development and not borrowing to line individual pockets”.

Credit: Punch