The federal government has inaugurated 100 housing units in Ondo State as part of measures to provide decent, safe and quality affordable homes for Nigerian workers.
Inaugurating the house projects at Ilara-Mokin, Ifedore Local Council, the State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu said his government will continue to partner relevant agencies to make houses available to the people.
The housing project was facilitated by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) in partnership with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).
In his address, the Executive Director of Business Development and portfolio management at the bank, Kingsley Chukwuma said the program is aimed at facilitating the dream of the union members to own their homes.
Mr. Chukwuma added that the program will provide affordable houses for the people.
While inaugurating the project, Mr Chukwuma said the housing units consist of 20 units of one-bedroom detached bungalows, 40 units of two-bedroom detached bungalows and 40 units of three-bedroom detached bungalows.
On his part, the governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Olugbenga Ale, said his administration’s policy towards affordability of housing units included provision of affordable housing loans to workers and provision of mortgage support to civil servants as well as ease of issuance of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O).
He, however, the tasked property developers to make necessary sacrifices in their profit projections.
Meanwhile, Ayuba Wabba, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), represented by Benson Upah, stated that Ondo workers should have the right of first refusal in the allotment of housing.
Wabba stated that workers’ mistrust of the FMBN would be alleviated if the bank maintained its new commitment to the workers’ cause.
The organised labor appealed to Akeredolu to grant land for the construction of more housing estates in the state in order to address the state’s housing deficit.
