The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said the ministry had concluded plans to embark on massive housing projects. He made this known at the 35th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Shelter Afrique, saying 12 states had already donated land for development by the ministry.
Fashola stated that the ministry is taking the next step to survey the plots of land and develop layouts, preparatory to commencement of development, while more responses are being awaited. He said that a lot of work had been done by staff of the ministry towards concluding the plan for land development.
He also added that proper housing planning was key to project completion, cost control and reduction in variation requests, as well as financial calculations, noting that the existing National Housing Policy in the country was only a policy statement and not a plan, and that the ministry was currently developing the needed plan to make the policy a reality.
“I acknowledge that there is, for example, a National Housing Policy of 2012. Some have chosen to call it a plan to the extent that it is a broad statement of intent about providing housing, it is a policy statement.”
The minister stated that the ministry must focus on those in the majority and those who were most vulnerable in terms of housing development. He added that the ministry must also focus on those who graduated from university about five years ago and more; people who were in the income bracket of grade level 9 to 15 in the public service and their counterparts.
“The taxi drivers, market men and women, farmers, artisans who earn the same range of income should also be considered.”
Fashola said in order to capture the target population, the ministry needed to conduct a survey to determine what they expected and what they could pay as well as evolve agreeable housing types. Other requirements in the ministry’s plan, the minister said, included ensuring that the designs would reflect behavioural patterns of Nigerians.
He noted the patterns as adequate storage, lifestyle needs, water supply, power supply, waste and sewage management and transport needs and land density were other key factors.
