Governments urged to subsidize cost of infrastructure

Participants at the 6th National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development with the theme: “Building for Inclusion, Growth and Prosperity,” held in Abuja, Thursday has called on all tiers of Government to subsidise cost of infrastructure as social investment to make housing affordable.

They also encouraged all tiers of government to promote the use of cooperative societies in the provision of affordable housing as currently under taken by the Armed Forces, the Police and the paramilitary agencies for their personnel.

A communiqué issued at end of the meeting encouraged all tiers of governments to build the capacity of artisans and tradesmen, promote research and development as well as recognize climate, culture and tradition in designing of housing projects;

It requested Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to upscale its budgetary allocation for the preparation and implementation of the National Physical Development Plans in order to achieve one of the broad strategic objectives of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

The communiqué reads, “All tiers of government and Urban Development Authorities should provide adequate budgetary allocation for the preparation and implementation of statutorily required Regional, Sub-Regional, Urban, Local and Subject Plans in order to ensure effective implementation of the NPDP. State Governments should appoint only qualified planning professionals to undertake physical planning consultancy; and all tiers of Governments should ensure improved budgetary provisions for the preparation of Master Plans and other categories of physical plans for the development of urban and rural areas in the country.”

The Council Meeting was preceded by a three-day Meeting of Directors and Permanent Secretaries from 21st – 23rd August, 2017 and was presided over by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola.