FG to introduce biometrics to curb buying of houses by proxy

The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi has said that the federal government will introduce biometrics to lessen complaints that houses built by government are usually bought over by the rich and resold at exorbitant prices.

Eyakenyi disclosed this while inspecting the ministry’s prototype housing scheme located in Suleja, Niger State.

She said that the federal government will deploy biometric technology to avert sharp practices in the allocation of houses, adding that the new strategy will help to significantly reduce the nation’s housing deficit.

According to her, the estate which is being built under the Public Private Partnership contains 102 units of housing.

They are made up of 33 units of three bedrooms, 44 units of two bedrooms and 32 units of one bedroom apartments.

The minister explained that while the three-bedroom ones were expected to be given out to beneficiaries who must be contributors to the National Housing Fund (NHF) for N5.8 million, the two-bedroom and one-bedroom houses cost N4.7 million and 1.8 million respectively.

Eyakenyi said, “What I want to guarantee you and guarantee Nigerians is that under this dispensation, an individual will be entitled to only one house.

In a related development, the minister said housing schemes like the Suleja Housing Scheme will be ready for commissioning on May 29, 2014.

Eyakenyi made this known while speaking at the fourth edition of the Abuja Bantaba s last Friday.

She said, “We’re all aware that housing is a major problem and it’s absurd that people work 35 years and at retirement still live in rented accommodation.”