Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
A Quantity Surveyor and expert in building management, Kayode Olusogo Dipeolu, has faulted the Federal Government’s policy on providing housing for all Nigerians and declared “such policy is just a mirage”.
Dipeolu, who is the immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyor (NIQS), Ogun State chapter, equally said low cost housing scheme is no longer feasible in the country, considering the high cost of building materials, failure to adopt global innovations in building as well as non availability of fund to execute the scheme.
The former Ogun NIQS chairman spoke at the sidelines of the investiture of the 6th chairman of the Institute and award ceremony, held on Monday in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.
According to Dipeolu, federal government cannot single handedly provide housing for all Nigerians, but through collaborative efforts with all stakeholders.
He argued that in order for the country to address the issue of deficit in housing, professionals in all the concerned sectors should be engaged to fashion out strategies which will adequately tackle issue of housing in Nigeria.
“It is not possible for everybody to be housed. We can only reduce the number of deficit. I was addressing some people on how can we achieve low income housing and I asked them, do we have cheap cement? Do we have cheap building blocks,? Prices of building materials are skyrocketing everyday.
“I think in this regard, what the country needs is what I can call a holistic approach to achieve adequate and low income housing. It takes collective efforts from all the stakeholders. Nigeria, as a country will need to have a round table discussion and fashion out ways we can achieve this”. He stated. Speaking on his achievements while at the saddle, Dipeolu, said his two-year tenure witnessed increase in the number of active members from 95 to 200, fight against quackery, initiating the publication of Ogun NIQS Bulletin, among other achievements.
In his inaugural address, the new Chairman of NIQS in the state, Gbolahan Popoola, said his administration would build on the achievements of his predecessor.