Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has said the construction of 100 housing unit estate in Nsukka will improve the socio-economic status of the state.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony of the FMBN/NLC/TUC/NECA National Affordable Housing Project in Nsukka on Monday, the governor expressed appreciation to the federal government for bringing the project to his state.
Ugwuanyi said the ground-breaking event signaled the beginning of development in the Nsukka.
This project which will deliver 100 houses in each state of the federation is a mix of three, two and one-bedroom semi-detached bungalows and blocks of flats.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) Ahmed Dangiwa said the bank had expended N2.8 billion in the construction of 985 housing units in Enugu State.
He said the houses were built in five housing estates located in different areas in the state, adding that the bank had advanced N123.62 million to 183 National Health Fund (NHF) contributors under the FMBN Home Renovation Loan.
He said that the bank was consistently innovating to extend the frontiers of home ownership “because we believe everyone deserves a home”
He said what the bank had been able to achieve in spite of challenges called for retrospection from states and organisations that had yet to enroll into the NHF scheme.
He said, “The only way to enjoy these benefits is to participate in the NHF scheme. We appeal to every Nigerian to embrace and participate in the scheme as this remains the only sure and affordable route to home ownership.”
Dangiwa said the FMBN/NLC/TUC/NECA National Affordable Housing Project is the first of its kind involving all labor stakeholders and FMBN.
He explained, “This is the commencement of collaborative housing projects for Nigerian workers who are enrolees of the NHF under the National Affordable Housing Delivery Programme (NAHDEP).”
The Managing Director said the programme was designed to be implemented in phases.
“What we are witnessing today is part of the first phase to be run as a pilot to deliver 1,400 housing units across the six geopolitical zones in the country.
“Each zone will have 200 houses with 100 units in two selected states,”Dangiwa said.
Also speaking, Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige said the event was one of the schemes rolled out to meet the housing needs of Nigerians.
The minister said the country with its huge population has only addressed 10 percent of its housing needs with workers badly affected.
He said, “I see this programme as a very big leap in the right direction. It involves a tripartite arrangement adopted by the federal government to address the housing issue.”
The minister appealed to the state government to provide the basic infrastructure needed on the site in order to achieve the dreams of those that conceptualized the projects.
Similarly, the Director General of Nigeria Employer’s Consultative Association (NECA), Mr Olusegun Oshinowo said the event was one of the most remarkable events in the mass housing delivery for workers.
Oshinowo said he was happy that the housing challenges of workers are gradually being addressed.
He appealed to employers to ensure that their employees are enrolled in NHF so they can access mortgage loans.
