Bello commissions 300 Abuja housing units
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has commissioned 300 affordable housing units and performed foundation laying for the development of more housing units at the Kaba District along Kubwa road.
The minister, who was represented by the FCT permanent secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye said that there was “no housing deficit in Abuja, but there is deficit in affordable housing. Go everywhere, you see estates locked up, and fanciful estates that people cannot afford to buy.”
He said as for the new houses one bedroom costs N6million , two bed room starts from N10million to N12million, adding that it is affordable.
“With the help of the Federal Mortgage Bank that we give our civil servants loan and the Federal Government Staff Housing Loan Board is there for our civil servants to access loans and be able to afford this. So, these are the kinds of things we are asking people to do, not to build houses that are not affordable.
“FCT Administration embarked on the project to give teeth to President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts in tackling housing deficit in the country and ensuring good shelter for all, as one of the basic needs of life,” he said.
He said that the issue of empty plots has become a thing of the past in the territory as phases I to III of the city has been fully allocated “while what remains of phases IV and V is all we have currently. Consequently, the FCTA is emphasizing allocations to groups and institutions as well as high-rise developments to use the few spaces remaining to benefit the greatest number.”
On the issue of private developers taking land for mass housing and selling it, he said: “That has stopped. That is why the minister has suspended mass housing allocation. We are sorting out all these, talking to developers.
“The era of where people take land and sell is over. Now, you don’t take land and receive title. If you want to develop now, you have lease agreement for development. It is when we know that you are serious, may be up to three years that we start talking about giving you title. So everything is restructured now. It is not like before.”