Under the
policy, the government will adopt Lagos housing model, constructing 40
blocks of housing in each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Each state is expected provide land of between 5-10 hectares for a start,
with title documents, and access roads or in lieu of access roads, a commitment
that they will build the access roads by the time the houses are completed. We
see this leading to potential delivery of 12 flats per block and 480 Flats per
state, and 17,760 Flats nationwide.
“This
will translate into a minimum of four doors and two windows very conservatively
per home; a demand for 71,040 doors and 35,520 windows nationwide in year one,
which we will encourage to be made in Nigeria,” according
to the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Barrister Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN).
In his
submission, the immediate past president, Nigerian Institute of Architects
(NIA), Waheed Brimmo, while
applauding the move, said the new policy need to be reviewed by stakeholders to
ensure the programme is successful. According to Brimmo, housing shortage
in the country is becoming a big problem that any meaningful intervention is a
welcome development.
However, he
advised that for such project to succeed, there must be sense of purpose and
determination by the stakeholders, especially, the quality of works that would
be done, locations and house types that would be within the reach of a sizable
number of Nigerians.
Similarly, the
President of African Union of Architects, (AUA), Chief Tokunbo Omisore, urge the government to consider different
hours type for different locations and the following in its implementation:
equity between the federal and the participating state governments, target
audience, location factor, price differentiation among the different states,
maintenance of housing estates after completion, facilities that would make
them habitable, among others.
He
said: “As much as government is having good intention
of providing accommodation for her teeming citizenry, there must be an
acceptable parameter that must be followed. For instance, there cannot be the
same house type for places like Lagos, Rivers state, Abuja or Kano, where there
is commercial opportunities, unlike other states. So to me the demand in the
above states and the caliber of the would-be beneficiaries are differ. Besides,
there is the need to ensure that state governments that would key into the
programme provide lands in a more suited location that would attract the
beneficiaries.”
Collaborating
his view, President, Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Mr. Kunle Awobodu, who was the
immediate past Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian
Institute of Builders (NIOB), call for the involvement of the professionals
to actualise the dream.
Awobodu was
of the opinion that in contrast to Lagos where the minister initiated LagosHoms, without involving the
relevant professional bodies in the building sector, the minister
should involved experts in one way or the other.
“Normally,
we need to encourage them in this regard. Every government will come and make
pronouncement on how they will meet housing deficit in the country without practical
move for implementation. But we must give this government the necessary support
by advising them where necessary. However, they need to carry out feasibility
studies to determine who their targets are, the appropriate locations in each
states that would be attractive to the would-be homeowners. But the most
critical aspects are funding on one hand and the selection of competent
contractors that would ensure quality materials. This is where ones fear
lies-political patronage may take preeminence over competent contractors,” warned Awobodu.
However the
Minister in his address stated sustainability is critical to solving the
problem. One component of sustainability is the ability to be able to repeat
what had being done, which means the need to recover the cost of houses, even
if there is no profit, so that one can build more.
He said: “There will be no sustainability if we sell below our cost
price. Therefore, we must agree about who is entitled to a house and what type
of house their income entitles them to. We must also decide whether those who
have no income can legitimately expect to own a home, without abdicating our
responsibility as a government to increase the capacity of the economy to
employ more people. These are questions to which our national survey will be
directed and honest answers will help provide a guidance for us to give you
what you want, and not what we think you want”, said the minister, adding that
through construction, economic commitments that can stimulate jobs across the
states, especially for low income people like bricklayers, welders, carpenters,
plumbers, vendors, who live on the margins of the society would be enhanced.” (Source:
Guardian)
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