FG seeks state, private sector support for affordable housing

The Federal Government has on Monday called for the support of state and private sector to achieve the provision of affordable housing for citizens.

The Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, FMWH, Mr Olajide Ode-Martins said this at 11th meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development in Sokoto, Sokoto State, North West, Nigeria.

The Director of Press and Publicity, FMWH, Mrs Blessings Lere-Adams made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Lere-Adams said the four day meeting has the theme “Housing Our People by All Of Government and All Our People.”

Martins noted that Federal Government would need the collaboration of the sate governments and private sector in increasing the stock of affordable housing to Nigerians.

” The theme of the meeting presupposes that Federal Government alone cannot address the gap in the housing development across the country.

“State Governments and the Private Sectors are critical stakeholders that have to collaborate effectively towards addressing the housing challenges by bringing to the forefront desirable strategies to increase the stock of affordable houses to Nigerians,” he said

Also speaking at the meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Sokoto State Ministry of Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Planning, Mr Ahmed Tambuwal, said that provision of affordable shelter was a basic necessity for everyone.

‘ We are all aware that, Shelter is a basic necessity to every citizen. Such shelter must be affordable while at the same time meets globally acceptable standards. It is critical to family security, child upbringing and economic growth,”

Tambuwal said that the absence of shelter renders the society vulnerable to precarious situations and backwardness.

The Permanent Secretary pointed out the importance of collective contribution in tackling the housing challenges in the country, stating that every contribution no matter how small it might be was important

He said the Sokoto State government would willingly provide land and other requirements to interested developers in the built industry who might be willing to partner with the state in the provision of housing for the citizens.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the annual meeting of stakeholders in the built industry is being organized by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing as part of it’s statutory mandate.

It affords stakeholders in the housing sector have the opportunity to gather, brainstorm, share ideas, and identify challenges and adopt policies that impact on moving the sector forward in the delivery of affordable houses to Nigerians.

NAN also reports that participants at the meeting included State Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries for Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

Others are General Managers of Housing Corporations, Surveyor -Generals, Professional/Regulatory Agencies in the housing sector and other stakeholders in the built industry.

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