At least, 12 states have responded to a request by the Federal Government to release landed property to her on, which the latter intends to construct affordable homes for Nigerians, and thereby reducing the wide deficit gap of shelter in the country.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, last week in Abuja, revealed that the plan by the government to create more affordable homes for her citizens was gathering momentum as more states have indicated interest.

According to the Minister, who spoke at the 35th Annual General Meeting and International Symposium of Shelter Afrique, even though states were already responding positively to the government’s initiative, the first key to the roadmap in housing was planning.

The Minister, who noted that what the country now has as a National Housing Policy was only a policy statement and not a plan, said, “We must never be tired to explain the necessity and importance of proper planning. It is the key to successful execution; it is the key to project completion; it is the key to cost control and reduction in variation requests and financial calculations”.

Furthermore, on the plans of his Ministry, Fashola, who explained that the plan requires “a clear understanding of who we want to provide housing for”, added, “I recognize that there are people who want land to build for themselves; there are also people who want town houses and duplexes, whether detached or semi-detached”, pointing out that this category of people were not in the majority.

According to him, “The people who we must focus on are those in the majority and those who are most vulnerable; the people who are in the bracket of those who graduated from University about five years ago and more. People who are in the income bracket of grade level 9 to 15 in the public service and their counterparts, taxi drivers, market men and women, farmers, artisans who earn the same range of income”.

Expressing pleasure that a lot of work has been done by staff of the Ministry towards concluding the plans, Fashola, who also acknowledged the voluntary contribution of some private sector to the initiatives, announced that 12 states have responded to the request for land, adding that while more responses are being awaited, the Ministry was taking the next step to survey the plots of land and develop layouts, preparatory to commencing development.

Earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari said there was need to evolve a consolidated strategy that would assist national governments across Africa develop robust systems to deliver affordable housing to low income on a sustainable basis.

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