The federal government of Nigeria plans to upgrade 26 slums in six regions of the country. The goal of the project is to improve the living standards of slum residents and the urban poor.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Ahmed Dangiwa, made the announcement yesterday while delivering his keynote address at the 12th meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, in Kaduna State.
Dangiwa said that the project would provide key infrastructure and ancillary services to slum communities, including access roads, water supply, solar streetlights, drainage systems, sanitation, and waste management.
The minister also announced that the government would commence phase one of the “Renewed Hope Cities and Estates” project, which targets the delivery of 34,500 housing units in 30 states of the federation.
He said that the government was committed to providing affordable housing for Nigerians, and that the ministry was working on a number of initiatives to make this happen. These initiatives include the Rent-to-Own scheme, the Public Rental scheme, and mortgage loans.
In his address, the guest of honour, the executive Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, represented by the Commissioner of Housing and Urban Development, Aminu Shagali, said that the state government was committed to increasing the housing stock in the state.
READ ALSO : Why Ahmed Dangiwa will deliver as Nigeria’s Minister of Housing- HDAN
He said that the state had already constructed 624 affordable housing units, and that it planned to construct a further 222 houses. He also said that the state was in partnership with 52 developers to provide between 20,000 and 30,000 houses.
The governor welcomed investors to the state, and said that the state government was willing to continue in partnership with the federal government to facilitate the provision of decent and affordable housing to Nigerians.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, said that positive progress could not be made in the housing and urban development sector without funds.
He acknowledged that sourcing funds was a difficult challenge, but he said that the problem was not insurmountable. He said that construction in housing remains a major way of redistributing wealth and should be encouraged.
READ ALSO :Council of housing meeting begins in Kaduna on Monday 13th nov
Tambuwal assured the meeting of the support of the National Assembly in realizing the outcomes of the council meeting.
The 12th meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development is taking place in Kaduna State from November 14 to 17, 2023. The meeting is being attended by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Ahmed Dangiwa, the executive Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, and other stakeholders in the housing and urban development sector.
Source: This Daylive
