Maduka Nweke
The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), has inaugurated a housing programme in Nasarawa State to serve as a pilot scheme for the 1,400 housing units it intends to provide nation wide.
The mortgage finance institution has been making efforts to reduce the housing deficits in the country through serial schemes that would land in every geopolitical region in the country.
Speaking at the ground-breaking of the FMBN, Nigeria Labour Congress,Trade Union Congress and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association’s National Affordable Housing Project that took place at the Kwandere area of Lafia East Development Area of the state, the Managing Director/Chief Executive, FMBN, Ahmed Dangiwa, said the programme is designed to be implemented in phases.
Dangiwa noted that the first phase would run as a pilot to deliver 1,400 housing units in the six geopolitical zones in the country, adding that each zone would have 200 houses, with 100 units in two selected states, maintaining that Abuja and Lagos were to be treated as special sites.
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He however, explained that Nasarawa State was lucky to be one of the two states picked in the North-Central geopolitical zone due to its commitment to the National Housing Fund scheme, among other reasons.
“The programme is designed to be implemented in phases. What we are witnessing today is the first phase to be run as a pilot to deliver 1,400 housing units across the six geopolitical zones in the country. Abuja and Lagos are to be treated as special sites,” he stated.
The FMBN boss explained that the houses would be in three, two and one-bedroom semi-detached bungalows and block of flats, and would cost between N3 million and N8 million, adding that the project would be completed within six months.
Dangiwa, however, stated that the housing designs and bill of quantities were directly commissioned by the bank to ensure that the profit motive was suppressed and handed to participating developers, who were willing to accept the template, stating that the template had given them the leverage to ensure that the selling prices for the housing units would be between N3.1 million and N8.3 million.
Earlier, the Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura, commended the FMBN for considering the state to begin the housing project, adding that his administration was committed to supporting the project to completion. He urged workers to key into the affordable housing project.
For his part, the National President, NLC, Ayuba Wabba, applauded the bank for its foresight in providing houses for civil servants in the state.