The Ogun State government is perfecting plans to provide mass and low-cost housing for its civil servants as well as interested residents in all the three senatorial districts of the state. The move is part of celebrations marking the first 100 days in office of Dapo Abiodun, Ogun State governor, scheduled for September this year.
To realize this, the state government will be signing an agreement with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and National Housing Fund (NHF), seeking flexible mortgage financing for easy access to homeownership by the target beneficiaries.
Jamiu Akande Omoniyi, the newly appointed Special Adviser to Governor on Housing, explained during a familiarization tour of the Ministry of Housing that the new government had identified housing as essential element in humans needs, disclosing that the administration would do ground breaking for mass housing in the three senatorial districts of the state to mark 100 days in office.
Omoniyi noted that the proposed mass and low cost housing meant to be built for civil and public servants as well as residents would not only engage jobless hands in the state, but also boost the state’s economy through remittances of taxes and fees hitherto being paid to neighbouring states back to Ogun state’s coffers.
“His Excellency, Governor Abiodun has plans for mass housing for the citizens; we are planning to develop it within the three senatorial districts of the State, I can assure you on that,” he said.
The Special Adviser added that the state government would partner private developers to attract investment towards housing sector, adding that it also intended to collaborate with stakeholders such as FBMN and NHF in order to get the job done and deliver affordable housing to the citizens at record time.
Responding, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Housing, Olayiwola Abiodun, commended Governor Abiodun for appointing Jamiu Omoniyi as Special Adviser on Housing, saying the governor has put a round peg in a round hole.
He assured that the ministry would not relent in its efforts to support the lofty goals set by the present administration.
Abiodun had, however, charged management and staff of the state ministry to brace up and discharge its duties accordingly as the dedicated roles of civil servants were essential for the development of housing scheme and socio-economic growth and development generally.
RAZAQ AYINLA, Abeokuta
