The Federal government on Thursday said it has concluded arrangements to ensure that every Nigerian owns house within the next three years.
It said plans were in top gear to ensure that it built 16-17 million units of houses every year across the states of the federation for public and private workers.
The Minister of State, Power, Works and Housing, Hon. Mustapha Baba Shehuri made this disclosure in Ilorin, Kwara state capital on Thursday.
According to him, the project which would be achieved under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement was already in sight.
Hon Sheuri said this at the official commissioning of 250 housing estate units financed by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).
Speaking at the event, the minister said, “The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing will continue to strive at meeting the challenges of housing deficit in Nigeria, which has been put at 16-17million units.
“Indeed, the Ministry’s plan to build several housing units in every state of the federation for public and private workers every year, over the next three years, under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement has reached an advanced stage in terms of implementation.”
He said this became imperative because, “Every government has the responsibility of addressing the welfare of its citizens in all possible ways.
“It is in this context that it has been a matter of priority for the President Muhamamdu Buhari led administration to provide affordable housing for the teeming Nigeria’s populace.
“National Housing models have been designed and approved for each six geo political zones of the country.”
While stressing that, “the 250 housing units being commissioned today are equipped with basic amenities required for a decent life,” the minister noted that, ‘the developer has done a good job and it is my humble prayer that the beneficiaries will make good use of these facilities to ensure the accomplishment of the lofty objectives for which huge expenditures were incurred by the government.”
Shehuri also pointed out that, “the FMBN being the apex mortgage institution in Nigeria has a major role to play in the realization of the aspirations of many Nigerians towards owning a home through mortgage.
“I am please to re-affirm the resolve of this administration
to recapitalize the bank to the tune of N500billion which will no doubt reposition the bank to adequately and efficiently carry out its mandate under the National Housing programme of this administration in order to make the lower class Nigerians own houses easily.”