Amidst concerns of housing deficit estimated to be over 17 million, the federal government has pledged to increase its housing interventions working closely with the cooperatives by scaling up access of housing loans funding to them.
Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Works and Housing, gave the information on Thursday in Abuja while he played host to the Leadership of Association of South South Chamber of Commerce and Industry,Mines and Agriculture.
“As chambers of commerce,we want cooperatives that have land of their own,registered trustees,title to the land,and they want to develop.If you have those kind of cooperatives,help us to enumerate them,considering,where their land is,allocation.We would help them to get access to their own housing development loan.
“They will build at their own pace,but we would helo them with infrastructure.These are efforts of the federal government in lifting millions out of poverty”Fashola said.
Fashola noted that the federal government is determined to improve lives of Nigerians by lifting millions out of poverty through massive investment in infrastructure across the country.
The Minister while admitting several fiscal challenges confronting the country,noted that the federal government is adopting measures to ensure that fiscal concerns do not affect government’s delivery of the dividends of democracy-especially on closing the infrastructure gaps.
“Yesterday,the medium term expenditure was passed with great concerns of fiscal challenges. Our
greatest earner oil is facing global pressures and we are adjusting to enable the government meet up with its obligations .Government is also looking through Value added Tax to enable it deliver on its services to the people”
He urged the association to always work closely with the states federal controllers of works,and Housing on any concern or complaints they want to lodge since the federal government has project in each 36 states across the country.
He noted further that concerns of bridge and road failures are synonymous with wet season,while pledging the federal government’s commitment on maintenance of roads and works infrastructure.
“Consequences of nature atimes breaksdown our projects,but we are working hard to do more even with little resources.
On some of the road infrastructure mentioned for support by the group,Fashola urged them to look towards the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta to deliver on the East West roads.
“East West Road has been captured under the Presidential infrastructure fund,but it is the primary responsibility of the Ministry of Niger Dela.
He noted that the federal government is intervening in bridge maintenance and building roads even inside the Universities to create a descent environment.
The Minister also urged the group to ensure they come up with better strategies of funding options for the government amidst dwindling revenue resources.
“You must make suggestions to the government on better ways to fund infrastructure. We may not be in all the local governments,but we are connecting all the roads .The state governments.
Earlier in his remarks,the Emmanuel Awuru the leader of the delegation lauded the efforts of the government in the region,while requesting for more intervention in the road infrastructure in the region.
HARRISON EDEH,ABUJA
