Alhaji Babangida Hussaini, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Public Works and Housing, said the federal government has strengthened private sector collaboration to achieve its goals of affordable mass housing and job creation for Nigerians at the national scale.
Hussaini said this on Wednesday at the ongoing 10th meeting of the National Land, Housing and Urban Development Council, which was held in Ikeja, Lagos state.
The Nigeria News Agency reports that the theme of the annual program is: “Housing Development as a Catalyst for Job Creation, Social Inclusion and Economic Development”.
He said the ministry had embarked on the construction of affordable mass housing across the country, adding that the projects had a positive impact on the national economy through the creation of direct and indirect jobs.
“The ministry has embarked on the construction of decent and affordable mass housing across the country under the National Housing Program (NHP) and has stepped up corroboration with the private sector organized to provide quality and affordable housing to Nigerians.
“The projects carried out under this program have had a considerable impact on the national economy through the creation of direct and indirect jobs.
“The current administration is committed to ensuring it addresses the critical economic challenges facing the country and lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty through job creation and the creation of a fair and egalitarian society through social inclusion, ”he said.
Lagos State Commissioner for Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, said the state government has created an enabling environment to encourage investment in the real estate sector.
Salako said the meeting, which was attended by built environment stakeholders from state and federal agencies as well as the private sector, would help create jobs for people across the country.
“The Lagos State government has continued to develop creative approaches and strategic blueprints to ensure a larger, liveable and sustainable state, and one of them is the delivery of policies, reforms and programs. favourable.
“The gaps in demand for housing, employment and urban development are duly taken into account while seizing the unique opportunity to close the gaps observed in the trio.
“It is important to mention that the Lagos State government has relaxed some policies aimed at encouraging investment in the real estate sector for the provision of housing and this is not limited to the lifting of embargoes on areas that were until now. ‘here subject to various prohibitions.
“This reform resulted in the availability of more land, without a hitch for housing, while the delivery of housing was also facilitated by the rapid processing of planning permits and created more jobs.
“With this, there is always enough work to profitably engage relevant professionals, technicians and craftsmen in the housing production chain as a sector, from concept to design, construction, distribution and management and maintenance of facilities,” he said.
The commissioner revealed that the urban development policy of Lagos State has started and is led by the ministry.
“The governor has approved the formulation of a formidable urban development policy to guide and support the growth and development of the state to improve its position in the committee of the cities of the world,” he said.
Mr Babajide Abidemi, technical sales representative, Lafarge Cement, advised Nigerians to use quality cement in the construction of buildings.
“It is of the utmost importance to always use quality cement in the construction of houses to give the building a strong and resistant structure.
“The use of the right materials, especially cement, always determines the durability of buildings,” he said.
Source: NAN