FG’s proposed housing units will reflect regional cultural patterns —Fashola

The Federal Government is set to begin the provision of mass housing in the country that will reflect the behavioural and cultural patterns of all regions in the country.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, during the 35th AGM of Shelter Afrique and Housing Symposium, with the theme “Housing Africa’s Low Income Urban Population,” held in Abuja, recently.

According to him, the government will not just build haphazardly, but will first require a clear understanding of those it hoped to provide housing for.

“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 are about five years ago and more. People who are in the income bracket of grade level nine to 15 in the public service and their counterparts, taxi drivers, market men and women, farmers, artisans who earn the same range of income,” he said.

He revealed that the government’s plan involved conducting a survey of this category people with a view to determining what they really wanted and the amount they could pay.

“Our plan requires us to evolve agreeable housing types, between 2 to 4 designs that have a broad, national cultural acceptance. Our plan requires us to standardize these designs so that we can then design moulds to accelerate the number that can be built,” said Fashola.

The ex-governor of Lagos further posited that the government was also not rushing into building of housing units so as to avoid the mistakes of the past, saying the road to Nigeria’s housing challenge lied in meticulous planning and original thinking.

“Our plan requires us to ensure that the designs reflect our behavioral patterns, such as adequate storage, and other lifestyle needs.

“Our plan requires us to ensure that there is ready water supply, power supply and waste and sewage management. Our plan requires us to pay attention to the transport needs and land density prescriptions of the communities that we build.

“Our plan requires us to ensure that the process of issuing legal title is in place.