By Abdullahi M. Gulloma
Abuja
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, has called for sustained collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders on federal government’s intervention in the housing sector.
Speaking at an Affordable Housing Summit 2016 in Abuja, Mrs. Oyo-Ita said the collaboration was necessary in order to provide affordable housing to Nigerians and address the current housing deficit in the country.
“The need for all critical stakeholders in housing industry to work in partnership with government to deliver affordable and decent housing to Nigerians is of paramount importance,” she said.
She said the strategic partnership involved relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), financial institutions, corporate and social organisations in the organised sectors.
The Federal Integrated Staff Housing Cooperative Society (FISH-Co-operative) , she noted, was established in order to bridge the housing deficit in the country. Adding that the Co-operative would be working with other public service cooperatives to make affordable housing to eligible civil servants.
In his keynote address, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, said the federal government had conducted an extensive research and consultation with relevant stakeholders and developers on the current housing deficit in order to provide affordable houses of varied designs in line with the laid down standard by the ministry.
He said the affordable housing scheme would go a long way in creating manual labour opportunities to teeming Nigerians and would help in reviving local industries.
