Nigeria’s built Industry has progressed despite COVID 19 – Fashola


The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has said despite the socio economic consequences of Covid 19 pandemic, operatives of the built industry have continued to make progress. 


A statement issued by the Director Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Miss Boade Akinola on Tuesday in Abuja, qouted the minister speaking as the guest speaker at the ongoing 15th Abuja International Housing Show.


He said: “Even as our country, as indeed the entire World is still grappling with the social – economic consequences of the Covid – 19 pandemic, I have nothing but progress to report about how the built industry operatives, professionals and other stakeholders have contributed to increasing the stock of affordable and accessible home ownership in a pre and post –Covid era.”


Represented by the Minister of State for Works and Housing Engineer, Abubakar D. Aliyu, Fashola hinged his view on the activitvites of stakeholders in the sector such as the National Housing programme, (NHP) of the Federal government which is aimed at constructing acceptable and affordable houses nationwide.
He disclosed that a total of 1,021 building contractors have been engaged under phases 1 and 2 of the programme since its inception in 2016 and 13, 680 and 41, 040 direct and indirect jobs have been generated. 


He added that the Ministry of Works and Housing had undertaken the construction of 4,694 housing units, out of which 2,249 units have been completed in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) with a total of 41 sites spread over the 34 states and the FCT.

In her goodwill message, the Minister of State for Works and Housing, Ghana, Freda Prempeh, noted that the unprecedented negative economic impact of Covid -19 pandemic had resulted in global economic recession which had greatly affected the urban poor and informal sector thereby worsening the housing problem globally.  
She advised that social housing schemes must, as a matter of necessity, be given top priority by governments while boosting local production of building materials to generate employment.

The Chairman of the occasion, Surveyor Suleiman Hassan Zarma (MNIS), former Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, emphasised the need to provide affordable housing for the populace as a way of preventing the spread of Covid -19 which can occur when people are not adequately housed.