Group announces partnership with NUJ, CSO on Fed Govt Housing Scheme
The Project Convener of OWNAHOME campaign, Etta Michael Bisong, Tuesday, said his team would partner the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and financial audit organisations to monitor the progress of the federal government’s 300, 000 low income mass housing.
Thee FG’s under its Social Housing Scheme had announced the construction of 300,000 low income mass housing units to be constructed across the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Bisong in a statement he issued in Abuja though described the scheme as lofty, called for public education on the implementation plan of the project.
He said: “This campaign is designed to foster awareness around this mass housing project and how the public can gain from it. We have created five pillars as our strategic objective to engage stakeholders and ensure the successful implementation of this project.
“Furthermore, as part of our approach, we are working in partnership with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), civil society groups, transparency and financial audit organizations to monitor and evaluate the progress of this project.
“As housing advocates, we are aware of the numerous challenges bedeviling the implementation of social housing schemes in Nigeria. For an initiative of this magnitude, there is a need for mass public education on the implementation plan of this project.’’
The project convener of the campaign, however, disclosed that the construction of 300,000 houses was not enough compared to the huge housing deficits the country was battling with.
He said: “In a country where it is on record that over 20 million of her citizens are currently either homeless or living without decent shelter, it is needless to talk about the benefits of building 300, 000 affordable mass housing to low income Nigerians if achieved.
“To bridge this huge gap in the sector, it is estimated that Nigeria needs to build a minimum of 700,000 to one million housing units every year for probably a decade.
Although, looking at the bigger picture, 300, 000 is insignificant when compared to the 1, 000, 000 annual projection. However, we are convinced that sincere jobs can be created and the status of social housing would improve in Nigeria if this exercise is achieved.’’
