Federal Housing Authority targets more affordable social housing before 2026
By Moses Tom
Nigerians are in for affordable social housing scheme before 2026 going by the resolve of the Federal Housing Authority, FHA, to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
The Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority, Mr. Oladimeji Ojo,who disclosed this while addressing newsmen at FGN/NOVONE Social Housing Estate, Ikot Ntuen Nsit Uyo, shortly after leading other members of the tram on a courtesy call on Governor Umo Eno, posited that the Authority now focuses on delivering low income housing unit for Nigerians.
He said FHA leadership was in Uyo to partner the Governor Umo Eno to deliver affordable housing to the people of the state, with a view to curbing the Nigeria’s housing crisis including lack of affordable housing finance, high costs of urban land and weak tenure security, rising construction costs, and prevalence of slums.
The Federal Housing Authority boss commended Pastor Umo Eno for keying into the scheme, adding that more 15 state governors have so far been visited on the need to embrace the Federal Housing Scheme.
“The public should expect affordable housing to be delivered hopefully before 2026. We will work in synergy with State Governors to ensure the houses are delivered to the people”.
“Once you involve the State Governors who knows the people he governs and understands their needs, our job would be easy. What we are doing at the Federal Housing Authority is to develop a CACAS model, where we build the houses to a certain level and allow the person who takes possession of the property to complete, furnish to his taste.
“I believe it doesn’t make sense forcing a house furnished with a POP of N500k on someone (with low income or a middle or low class citizen) who may not be able to afford the high cost of renting or buying such a property.We should not force a pop of N500k on you.
“We do CACAS; let the person go and furnish, finish whatever he wants to finish.
“We are planning about studios. You don’t force 3 bedroom on someone who just graduated from school and got a job. We will build different categories of housing including what you may call ‘Studio’ which is safe for a graduate, like we have in UK and other developed cities in the world.
“We have the studio, we have the one bed, two bedroom, three bedroom depending on your capacity. We are going to have a win-win situation
“A studio house is a single-room house where your bedroom, living space, and kitchen are all in one area with an open floor plan that means no separating walls like a traditional home. The bathroom is the only area guaranteed to be separated with a door, but even the kitchen may not,” Mr. Ojo explained.
Mr. Oladimeji Ojo dismissed the issue of abandoned federal housing Projects in the country, saying that “there is nothing called abandoned property”.
“There is no abandoned building. We have squatters. People who move into buildings whether completed or not that has not been inhabited. In UK we have such people. They move in because the owners had “abandoned or failed to inhabit the property.
“Even in UK if the owner now wants to take possession of the property he would have to approach the court to evict the occupant. They are called Squatters, not hoodlums or miscreants as they call them here in Nigeria.
“Let me assure you, there are no abandoned property in Federal Housing Authority. In Nigeria, what we have are squatters taking possession of uninhabited building,” the Federal Housing Authority helmsman noted.
‘My Governor has made me proud’, says Ezekiel Nya-Etok
Earlier in his remarks, the Executive Director in-charge of Housing at the Federal Housing Authority, Arch. Ezekiel Nya-Etok lauded Governor Umo Eno for the honour done him by keying into the Federal Housing Authority project and donating land for the take off of federal housing estate Project in the state.
Arc. Nya-Etok maintained that the Federal Housing Authority has taken delivery of a massive portion of land situated along Aiport Road for the Construction of housing estate in the state.
“I want to put on record that My Governor has made me proud. You can see my ARISE AGENDA tag on me, meaning that I have accepted and adopted the ARISE AGENDA.
“We came to see the government. If nothing else, one of the greatest things you take is the level of leadership, love and oneness in the team. Before we came here he had already gotten land, surveyed it, prepared the title and handed over to the MD. The land is located along the Airport Road. That’s a very strategic and good location,” Arc. Nya-Etok observed.
The Federal Housing Authority boss was accompanied by other members of the board and management team including, Executive Directors, General Managers, Deputy GM’s and other top management staff of the Authority.
