Naomi Gabriel —
The Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai has seek the assistance of World Bank on new technology that will improve mass housing delivery.
Revealing this during a working visit to the ministry by a World Bank team led by Fuad Malkawi, Senior Urban Development Specialist and the Spatial Planning Community of Practice Leader at the bank, Akinderu-Fatai explained that the assistance had become necessary in view of the state’s rising population and urbanization.
The needed new technology, according to officials of the state government, is one that can make for speedy delivery without compromising on quality and safety.
He noted that uninhibited migration to Lagos from other states of the Federation as well as some nations in the West Coast had made the issue of housing provision very critical.
“Given the littoral nature of the state, enormous support is required in the area of housing development,” Akinderu-Fatai stated.
He pointed out that the state needed to build houses in thousands so as to accommodate the increased influx, hence the need for an innovative technology that could make housing development faster and safer.
The commissioner said that the state also needed vertical development of homes in a manner that the small land size available could be optimized for maximum yield in order to bridge the housing gap in the state.
He hoped that the collaborative efforts would address the challenges posed by climate change and technology and the likely impact of these factors on designing homes for the future.
He also pleaded with the World Bank to support the state in sourcing cheap funds, not necessarily foreign exchange, that could help increase the number of homes built and make them easily accessible through convenient mortgage for end users, particularly low income earners.
Responding, Malkawi assured of the willingness of the World Bank to partner with the state in developing and implementing strategies for urban renewal.
He pointed out that issues relating to housing could not be treated without reference to efficient transportation system, waste disposal, and energy supply.
Malkawi disclosed that the main focus of World Bank was to help in setting priorities and ensuring that developmental projects achieved the desired impact on people’s lives.
Earlier, Kamar Olowoshago, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, had sought increased capacity development particularly middle level professionals and artisans.
He reasoned that the use of indigenous workforce would reduce cost as well as enhance the economic development of the state.
Olowoshago also called for assistance in the area of digitalized monitoring of ongoing schemes to ensure speedy completion and delivery.
