*As Tinubu lays foundation blocks for 250 housing units in Ebonyi
By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday said his administration would build not less than 50,000 housing units across Nigeria.
The President stated this while performing the ground breaking ceremony of the 250 housing units tagged Renowned Hope Estate at Umuezeokoha in Ezza North council area of Ebonyi State.
Represented by the Minister of the Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Musa Dangiwa said the occasion was the second leg of the breaking ground ceremony for a total of 2,000 housing units Renewed Hope Estate in 8 states in the Southern Nigeria and North Central region of the country.
According to him, the 250 housing units, which started from Ebonyi State would be followed by Abia, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Osun, Oyo, Benue and Nassarawa States.
He explained that the estate would be comprised of the 50 units of one bedroom bungalow, 150 units of two bed room units bungalow and 50 units of three bedroom bungalow.
The President noted that the nationwide ground breaking exercise for housing projects, under the Renewed Hope Citizens and Estate programs were launched last February by President Bola Tinubu while commissioning the 3,112 housing units in Abuja.
"We plan to deliver a total of 50,000 housing units across Nigeria. This includes seven renowned Hope cities that will be between 500 to 1,000 housing units per state in each of six geopolitical zones of the country and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
"All the Renowned Hope Estates will have 250 subsidized in the remaining 30 states of the federation. This housing program, we plan to launch massive potentials of housing development to create job, uplift life, boost economic activities and development.
"You may recall that last month, the presidential flag off of the 1,500 housing units in the northern part of Nigeria and this includes 250 housing units Renowned Hope Estate in kastina, Yobe and Sokoto.
"Another one is the 500 Renowned Hope City in Kano. Work is currently ongoing in each of the states and our plan is to have them completed within the space of three months and make available to all Nigerians in line with Mr President's mantra to provide quality house for all Nigerians."
He disclosed that the federal government funded the housing project from the 50 million Naira of the 2023 supplementary budget approved by his administration to ensure sustainability, privacy and geographical spread in the country.
The President further explained that the housing units were designed in such a way they would be affordable for the people, warning the developers to deliver quality work as the federal government would not tolerate a substandard project.
"We have designed these housing units in a way that make it easy and affordable for people to acquire by using organic designs to allow for future expansion as income beneficiaries increase. This means one bed room units can be expanded to two bed room units and two bedrooms can be expanded to three bedrooms as the intending beneficiaries improve all their family groups.
"As we break ground this estate, I warn the developers in a very strong terms that we will not tolerate substandard work, you must be committed to deliver quality work to ensure durability. we will also have work to finish the project in next three months so that we will begin the process of getting Ebonyi indigenes to partake and move in the houses."
He said, different options were created by the ministry to enable anyone who has sources of income and livelihood to acquire the house when completed, through single digit mortgage loan, to guarantee beneficiaries pay over 30 years period.
He commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for promptly granting the ministry's request by providing the land for the housing projects in Ebonyi, saying the housing estate would create jobs for over 6,000 people in various trades and professions and as well advance economic activities as envisioned by Mr President.
Meanwhile, Governor Francis Nwifuru represented by his Deputy, Mrs Patricia Obila has commended Mr President for having initiated the idea of providing quality and affordable housing units for Ebonyi people.
He described the housing project as a true tastement for President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, urging fast completion and adequate accommodation of Ebonyi citizens.
