By Ella Anokam
Abuja – The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, on Friday called for federal and state governments’ partnership in developing infrastructure to bolster affordable housing nationwide.
Fashola made the call after an inspection tour of the Camp Luvu Housing Estate, Millard Fuller Foundation (MFF), a faith-based organisation, situated at Luvu-Madaki, off Masaka, Nasarawa State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the GrandLuvu housing estate has a price range of between N1.6 million and N3.7 million but with poor access road network.
However, Fashola assured that the ministry was ready to intervene by working with the Nasarawa State Government to provide infrastructure, which could encourage private business and economic development in the area.
The minister said that the inspection was to facilitate the commitment of the ministry towards checking its partner’s activities for housing development.
“Though in the recent housing summit organised by the ministry, some of the housing partners displayed their projects, it is better to see from the inside the extent they have gone.
“The MFF effort is quite inspiring in some local efforts so what we need to do is to double this kind of capacity to address the problem of sustainable housing development,’’ he said.
The minister, however, said such efforts could also be replicated yearly across the country in order to bridge the housing deficit.
Fashola said that the inspection will address the challenges the housing developers’ face, the methodology, designs and materials being used in the sites.
Mr Sam Odia, the National Director of the foundation, said that the organisation was focused on providing affordable housing to solve the housing crisis plaguing the nation by targeting low income earners.
Odia stated that the housing price at N1.6 million was believed to be one of the cheapest housing schemes in Nigeria.
He said that the studio apartment could also be expanded to one bedroom unit.
“Our major challenge has been finance, getting access to reasonable finance for most developers and poor road,’’ Odia said.
NAN reports that MFF partners with the German Cooperation Agency (GIZ), Fuller Centre for Housing, REALL UK and Selavip International for the scheme.