FG partners private bodies to boost employment in housing sector

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said that the involvement of the private sector in the national housing programme initiated by the Federal Government will help create massive employment opportunity for indigenous property companies and young professionals in the nation’s built environment.

Fashola made the disclosure last week when he inspected several blocks of flats at Brains and Hammers Estate, Citec International Estate Limited and Sunny Vale Estate, Abuja.

He used the occasion of the visit to stress the importance of FG’s partnership with the private sector, saying the Federal Government will partner the private sector to meet the housing needs of Nigerians.

He added that the move would also help to address some of the problems the economy was currently faced with.

He said that the ministry was working tirelessly on more research and assistance to improve the design and quality of houses built by the private sector.

Fashola said the collaboration was in line with the ministry’s efforts at ensuring a “well designed” programme that would accommodate cost reduction, supply and programme design of buildings.

He further said that the Habitat 111 programme was launched to address some of the housing problems.

He said: “from our first housing summit and the hosting of the Habitat 111, we clearly articulated that the national housing project of affordable housing was the way to go.

“The mission of the programme is to develop a programme that will accommodate the design, building type, cost reduction and supply.

“Ultimately, government has never been able to supply unilaterally the need of the people; no government in the world has done that but we are doing our best to reduce cost.

“So if we really want to solve the problem, we are going to need the private sector to really come in and build as well as bridge the market demand.’’

The minister noted that majority of Nigerians in need of houses were not necessarily looking for huge apartments but a house that would fit into their income.

He said that the programme would also be in such a way that it would also attract the private sector to supply them the house of their type.

In her remarks, Mrs Ifeoma Okoye, Executive Director, Business Development, Brains and Hammers, said that her company would collaborate with the FG on building designs.

She said that the company had continued to engage local technicians in the construction of buildings.