Jonathan pledges better housing

A PRESIDENTIAL stakeholders retreat on housing and urban development was held at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa Abuja with President Goodluck Jonathan saying that the reinvigorating and revitalising of the sector was a core priority of his administration.

The President also announced that the federal government plans to recapitalise the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and strengthen the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) which showed it readiness to do all within its power to give Nigerians affordable housing.

To meet the goals set for the sector, President Jonathan said that this could only be achieved through pooling of resources and talents. He noted that if the national housing deficit of between 16-17 million units were to be bridged, “we must continue to seek ways to provide affordable housing, especially to the no-income, low-income, lower-medium income, and the informal sector worker.”

Towards this, Jonathan stated that a variety of housing delivery schemes including social housing, rental schemes, regeneration and housing cooperatives must be evaluated.