Nasarawa State Government on Wednesday in Lafia reiterated its commitment to provide affordable housing for civil servants in the state.
Gov. Abdullahi Sule said this while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Family Homes Fund (FHF) and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to provide 2,000 housing units worth N11 billion.
According to the governor, the agreement is part of the cardinal objectives of his government as captured in the Nasarawa State Economic Development Strategies (NEDS).
He said that the provision of housing was one of the important things his administration intends to achieve to improve the living condition of civil servants in the state.
Sule said the agreement would also create wealth, employment opportunity, boost economic activities in the state and provide homes for the less privileged.
“When the work on the housing project commences, it will provide employment for more than 20,000 youths, thereby, taking them off the streets.
“This will also help in addressing youth restiveness in the state in view of the security challenge presently being faced by the country,’’ he added.
Sule also expressed gratitude to Family Homes Fund and FMBN for partnering with the state toward addressing the problem of housing deficit.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the idea to construct houses for Nigerians.
The governor said the state would provide land and other necessary logistics for the smooth execution of the project.
Earlier, Femi Adewale, the Managing Director, Family Homes Fund lauded the state government for the partnership and promised that workers would enjoy from the initiative to make them proud house owners.
Adewale said the signing of the agreement was a landmark achievement as it would give them the opportunity to provide houses for low and medium income earners, thereby, improving the quality of their lives.
He explained that the projects would provide thousands of employment opportunities in the state through direct and indirect means.
“Apart from those to be engaged to work in the site, traders will make high sales.
“We will ensure that all inputs and materials to be used are sourced locally to empower the people of the state.’’
According to him, I have no doubt the project will succeed, so long as all the critical bodies of housing programme are brought together under one roof.
He said their company would invest N6 billion at the initial stage and invest another N5 billion as the project progresses and expressed their willingness to partner with the government of other states toward addressing housing deficit in the country.
Ahmed Danjuma, the Managing Director, FMBN, represented by Oladepo Fakeye, Group Head Strategy, said the bank had been partnering with the Nasarawa State Government for some time now.
He explained that the bank was in charge of the management of National Housing Fund to provide housing for public and private workforce.
Fakeye said that beneficiaries of the houses are expected to contribute just about two per cent of their monthly salary to the fund and they have up to 30 years to pay for the house, with an interest rate of six per cent.
He explained that the bank had funded four estates already in Nasarawa State with one in Lafia, Keffi, Uke and in Mararaba.
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