Calabar- A bill to provide mass housing for low income earners in Cross River has scaled through the second reading in the state assembly.
The sponsor of the bill, Mr Idagu Agaji (PDP-Bekwarra), said on Wednesday that it was to ameliorate the plight of low income earners in the state by providing them with low cost housing.
Agaji, who is the Chairman of the assembly committee on housing, works and infrastructure, said that housing was one of the critical needs of the human aside food, hence the need to provide the citizenry with it.
“The objective of this bill is to motivate the Cross River government to provide housing for low income earners in the state.
“This bill, when passed, will provide a housing policy for the needy in the state to own low cost houses.
“More than 70 per cent of Nigerians lives in poor housing environment without basic facilities and security,’’ he said.
The lawmaker urged members of the assembly to support the speedy passage of the bill to address the housing needs of the citizens.
Contributing to the debate, Mr Hilary Bisong (PDP-Boki II) said that the bill would reduce the high rate of rent being charged by house owners in the state.
“With the current economic situation in the country, it has become very difficult for low income earners to own houses.
“I wish to appeal to the members of this honourable house to support the passage of this bill to provide housing for our people,’’ he said.
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Ruling, the Speaker of the assembly, Mr John Gaul-Lebo, committed the bill to the committee on housing, lands and infrastructure for a thorough analysis and to report back to the assembly in one week. (NAN)
