National housing policy to address rising cost of rent, others — NIESV

The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) is calling for the establishment of a National Housing Policy to tackle issues of rising house rent, the trend of unoccupied buildings scattered about in different cities of the country, as well as other challenges facing the property sector in Nigeria.

Speaking while addressing newsmen in Abuja, the President and Chairman of the Council (NIESV), ESV. Victor A. Alonge explained that to solve most of the challenges facing the housing subsector of the economy, Nigeria needs a national framework that would bring all stakeholders together.

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He said, “We don’t want houses that are empty, but we need to approach it in a much more systematic way. We need a proper National Housing Policy that will actually address short, medium and long-term housing challenges.

“If we have that, then we will be able to use the instrumentality of that policy to address the equity in housing and vocational distribution.”

He explained that the housing Sector is multidisciplinary. “You have finance, you have property experts, you have lawyers, and others, we have to bring ourselves together”.

Alonge maintained that without a national framework, it will be difficult to arrest the rising cost of house rents or compel owners of unoccupied buildings to put these properties to use.

The President noted that the National Housing Policy will address prolonged housing challenges while presenting new opportunities for economic growth and development in the sector.

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