Sanwo-Olu: Boosting housing market with 7,000 units

From the 360 housing units commissioned at the Lateef Jakande Housing Estate two years ago at Igando to the newly inaugurated accommodation scheme in Ibeshe, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has increased Lagos’s housing stock by 7,000 units. Dayo Ayeyemi reports.

IN fulfilment of the promises he made when he took over the helm of affairs in Lagos State, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has not only completed some of the abandoned housing estates he inherited, he has gone ahead to deliver new schemes across the state in record time.

From 360 units at the Lateef Jakande Housing Estates in Igando to 360 units in Igbogbo, Ikorodu; 252 housing units in Idale, Badagry; 84 home units LagosHoms, Lekki; 2,132 units at the BRF Housing Estate, Iponri, Surulere; and 120 units at Courtland Villas, Igbokushu, Lekki, these houses have been delivered in various schemes across the state to the admiration of all Lagosians in the last two and half years.

Other  housing schemes already completed and ready for habitation are located in Odo Onosa Ayandelu, Agbowa, Magodo/Omole, Gbagada and Ibeshe.

Till date, a total of 17 schemes have been completed, thus adding over 7,000 affordable housing units to the market.

“There are other ongoing housing projects, totaling 21 schemes, which are being developed through budgetary allocation and joint ventures,” the Commissioner for Housing in Lagos State,” Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, has said, adding that by the current momentum, the administration of Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat would have delivered 35 housing schemes to further close the huge deficit in the sector by the end of 2023.

The homes being delivered are  for both low and high net worth individuals in high and low-income settlements consisting  Igando, Igbokushu, Lekki, Badagry, Igbogbo, Odo-Onosa/Ayandelu, Agbowa, Sangotedo, Epe, Ilubirin, Epe and Egan-Igando.

Therefore,  it was not surprising last week when Sanwo-Olu, inaugurated another  480 Housing units of LagosHOMS at Ibeshe, describing the housing units as a modern residential estate dedicated to the well-being of the good people of the state.

The governor, who also performed the ground-breaking ceremony of LagosHOMS Ibeshe Phase 11, said that his administration had created 17,000 direct jobs and 18,000 indirect jobs through the construction work in various housing schemes across the state.

According to him, the various housing projects have direct economic engagements for consultants, contractors and artisans in the state.

Sanwo-Olu, while unveiling another set of 480 homes delivered through direct budgetary allocation, said that every responsive government knows the impact of good and decent homes on the welfare of the people, adding that a decent home enhances the quality of life and promotes a general sense of wellbeing.

He argued that a decent home has a ripple effect on other areas of life by adding meaning and essence to living, adding that it was in acknowledgement of this fact that his administration considered housing development to be a priority on its agenda.

The governor pointed out that provision of housing remained one of the mandates of his administration, which it had been addressing for the past two years, saying that the inauguration was clear testimony and an indication of fulfilment of electoral promises.

He maintained that the provision of more housing facilities in urban, suburban and rural areas is part of his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, saying housing falls under the pillar M-making Lagos a 21st century economy.

“I wish to say that in the past two and half years, we have been earnestly addressing the huge housing deficit in the state. It is important to note that the gap in supply and demand of homes is not peculiar to Lagos State.

“Accommodation deficit is a challenge associated with all urban cities in the world. The situation in Lagos is however challenging because of the population growth rate of the state. The massive migration of people from all over the federation to Lagos State places great pressure on the available housing facilities.

“In order to cope with this trend, the state government regards it as a duty to keep on building more homes to take care of the increasing housing needs of its residents. About five weeks ago, we inaugurated an Estate of 100 homes constructed through a joint venture in Lekki. Today, we are here again to release another set of 480 homes delivered through direct budgetary allocation.

“In utilizing these two strategies of partnership with the private sector and budgetary allocation, we have been able to deliver 13 major housing schemes all over the state.

“We are still counting because we are still at work in a number of housing construction sites all over the state. Apart from the one being inaugurated today, three schemes are virtually ready and awaiting inauguration at Sangotedo, Odo-Onosa Ayandelu, and Agbowa,” he said.

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