Emmanuel Abi Couson
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that the State Government would work harmoniously with the Federal Government to address the issue of housing affecting low income earners in the State.
This synergy, he said, will no doubt reduce the pressure faced by citizens facing the challenge of housing, which is not only affecting low income but also medium income earners.
Governor Fubara made the assertion when he received the management team of the Federal Housing Authority of Nigeria (FHAN), led by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
The Governor, who noted that the problem of housing has become a major issue confronting Nigerians, said the Rivers State Government recently flagged off a 20,000 housing units project to address the housing needs of low income earners in the State, which, he added, is also in line with Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Let me use this medium to say a big thank you to Mr President. We all know the basic needs of a family: food, clothing and shelter. And in our country today, because of the cost of living, housing has become an issue.
“It is no longer an issue of medium income earners, because medium income earners cannot even afford housing again. So, it is an issue that the government, both at federal and state levels must come together and work together to find a lasting solution. Maybe, we may not completely eradicate the problem, but we can reduce that pressure on the citizens,” he said.
He noted, “We are thinking in the same line with Mr President. In our dear State, some months back, we did flag off a 20,000 housing units project, specifically for low income earners. What is the purpose: how many persons can afford housing in the GRAs? Just a few of us. We need to make provision for our civil servants. We need to make provision for our traders and taxi drivers. We need to make provision for our teachers and other classes of workers. That is what gave birth to that programme. And I am happy to say it today, that the project is ongoing, and there is evidence of seriousness to that.”
Governor Fubara expressed delight with the purpose of the visit, which he said, keys into the social housing policy of his Administration, emphasising that FHA’s commitment to partner the State Government in providing housing will add in mitigating the plight of the citizens.
He described the Government of President Bola Tinubu as people-oriented, given the seriousness the FHA attaches to ensuring the success of the project in collaboration with the State Government, and assured of his Administration’s commitment to give the necessary support for the success of the project.
“I am really happy this evening to receive this delegation from the Federal Housing Authority, because even the houses we are providing still won’t solve the problem. So, adding this to what we are already doing, will also help in mitigating the challenges.
“Your demands are very simple. We have records available which show that lands given to some people have been undeveloped. That will not be the story anymore. We are dealing with a team that has come, made commitments, and already pledged their seriousness, telling us here that they are not interested in just the land, but want even the contractors, who must be indigenous people from Rivers State, to be part of the project. They didn’t even end there. They are also saying that this project, they want to do it in such a way that they want the state to support off-takers. What else does anybody need to show that this Federal Government is people-oriented,” he said.
“I want to assure you that we will, as a Government, and as the head of the State Government, I will call the team that is concerned: the Permanent Secretary of Lands, and the Commissioner for Housing, they are going to meet with you, assess areas that are still undeveloped, and you make your choice and commence work.
“You said something very interesting. It’s not just building housing for the sake of building, but building in such a way that will consider the income of the would-be occupiers. It means, you have the people at heart.
“You are not just embarking on the project as white elephant project, you are not just embarking on the project because you want to come and flag off the project or commission it, you are interested in the end product. It shows seriousness, and that is our motto. As a Government, the few things that we are doing, we are interested in ending them well, and people seeing the purpose and the usefulness of our projects.
“So, I want to assure you, we will give you all the necessary support. Our message to Mr President is that: we are going to own the project, we will see that it succeeds so that it will also be a legacy for him in our dear State.”
Earlier, the Managing Director/CEO, Federal Housing Authority of Nigeria, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo, had said they were at Government House to pay a courtesy visit on the Governor as well as intimate him on Mr President’s mandate to the authority to provide affordable housing to Nigerians as encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Hon. Ojo, who noted the strategic position of Rivers State in the country, solicited for the Governor’s partnership in making available land to enable the authority fulfil its mandate of providing affordable housing to the people.
“We are here for two reasons: to pay a courtesy visit, and to intimate you on the mandate of Mr President given to the Federal Housing Authority of Nigeria to provide affordable housing to Nigerians. In the Renewed Hope Agenda, we all know that housing is a specified area in which Mr President really talked on.
“Right now in Nigeria, we are lacking shelter seriously. And I say, it’s not only lacking shelter, it’s about being affordable. And what is affordable? It is what the low income earners can really purchase and afford.
“Your Excellency, you all know the position of Rivers State in this country. After Abuja being the capital city, Lagos and Rivers are two major economic hubs of Nigeria which nobody can down-play in this country.
“And by so doing, we in Federal Housing Authority have decided to take a position, and what is our position of coming here today. The land is vested in your authority as the owners of the land in the State. It’s one thing that you give us the land and we go to Abuja and do a design.
“In our own tenure, we want a scenario where we have a partnership, not just collecting land, but also sitting down with your team in designing what you think is suitable with your own people. The houses will be designed and tailored towards the needs of the residents and people of Rivers State,” he said.
He said that the collaboration was necessary to secure the buy-in of the off-takers so that they can own the houses for their sustainability.
