“Governor Akinwumi Ambode has formulated people-oriented policies that will ensure the supply of 187,000 housing units yearly to address the state’s 2.5 million housing deficit over the next five years,” he said, adding that the Housing Ministry would model its affordable housing after the British social housing programme.
The Commissioner disclosed that the state intends to explore the vertical style of building in order to make housing units available in the employment centres, especially for the lower and middle income earners, and address the shortage of skilled workers in the construction sector.
“We also plan to address the dearth of skilled workers in the building industry such as masons, carpenters, steel fabricators, plumbers, electricians, painter, joiners, tillers among others, through the Master Craftsman Project,” he said.
The Master Craftsman Project, he said, is aimed at encouraging the younger generation to embrace skills in construction, considering that the older artisans were gradually ageing without younger ones being trained to replace them.
Bashir said the United Kingdom also had passion for training and was ready to assist the ministry in providing same for craftsmen in the state. He also called for more investment in housing for short stay in the state, especially for businessmen and tourists.
