THE Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria (AHCN), has expressed its preparedness to partner with states governments to make affordable housing available to Nigerians.

Mr Mohammed Adamu, the President of AHCN, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the opening of a two-day workshop and the 98^th Council Meeting of the association.

The theme of the workshop is “Tackling Housing Deficit and Affordability Challenge as Channel for Driving Economic Recovery”.

He said that the housing need of Nigerians was enormous, and required strategic approach, adding that the low-income groups were the most hit by this dire need of housing.

According to him, it is hoped that this forum will proffer holistic solutions to the problems of low cost housing.

He said that the road to affordable housing begins when government, as part of its social responsibility to citizens provides housing estates with basic infrastructure.

“It is in the interest of the government and the people that government continues to play a critical role in providing the enabling environment required for housing development.

“This, it would do by ensuring that it takes responsibility for primary infrastructure like roads, main water supply, electricity sewage and drainage.

“With the primary infrastructure in place, housing corporations could easily collaborate with the private sector to take care of secondary infrastructure such as estate roads, drains, water and electricity,” he said.

Adamu said that the usurpation of the statutory responsibilities of housing agencies in housing construction and development for the state by the ministry was a duplication of duty.

“This will in the long run cause distraction, needless rivalry, unfair competition and sheer wastages and repetition of efforts and resources.

“The housing ministry should strictly reduce its activities to policy formulation and monitor its statutory parastatals to ensure policy compliance,” he added.

Mr Femi Adewole, the Managing Director, Family Homes Fund Project in his presentation, said success could only be claimed in housing programme when its impact was being felt by 80 per cent of the population.

In the paper entitled,“Solving Housing Deficit and Affordability Questions: the Way Forward”, Adewole said success could be made when the society demands for good housing.

He advocated collaboration among stakeholders, establishment of new satellites towns in most pressured states and total reform in the housing sector.

-NAN

BE

– Nov. 29, 2018 @ 09:39 GMT |