Delta State Government says it is partnering the Federal Government in providing housing units for federal agencies operating in the state.
The State Commissioner for Housing, Mr Godknows Angele stated this in Asaba when the Executives and members of the Asaba Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists paid him an advocacy courtesy visit.
He hinted that the State Ministry of Housing would soon inaugurate 30-one-Bedroom apartments at 181 Amphibian Battalion in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state as part of its intervention in the provision of housing units for Nigerians.
“We have also renovated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Asaba in the last two months. Also the ministry is intervening on two-storey building with 40-self-contain at the Admiralty University, Ibusa, a project that transcended from the immediate past administration of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to the present government.
He noted that the recently commissioned housing units at the commissioners quarters were meant to complement the accommodation needs of the 30 state commissioners in the state.
According to Angele, Governor Oborevwori has given approval for the construction of 12 four-bedroom duplexes for the state permanent secretaries.
“As we speak, the contractor is ready and the groundbreaking ceremony will come up soon and this will be achieved in one year.
“To avert the planned strike by the Association of Medical Doctors in Oghara due to shortage of accommodation, the state government through the ministry has delivered 20 one-bedroom flats to them and others to be completed in due course”, Angele stated.
On the soaring accommodation rents, the Delta State Commissioner said the ministry had embarked on the registration of housing agents in the state to enable it regulate their activities.
He revealed that the ministry would soon inaugurate taskforce against agents who charge exorbitant accommodation rents in the state, disclosing that a bill would be sent to the State House of Assembly to regulate the soaring rents in the Delta State Capital Territory.
Angele said, ‘:The State Government may apply moral persuasion on the landlords to regulate the rents also to ensure a more affordable accommodation in the state .
The Delta State Commissioner for Housing stated further that the state government had engaged the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria to develop affordable housing for civil servants and residents of the state, and several memorandum of understanding had been signed with some estate developers.
He noted that the partnership was a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement designed to address the accommodation challenges and the soaring rentage in the state, particularly in the unban centers and the state capital and environ.
According to the commissioner, over 400 housing units are being targeted by the incumbent administration spread across the state
Comrade Ifeanyi Olannye, Chairman of Asaba Correspondents Chapel of NUJ, called on the Delta State Government to alleviate the sufferings of civil servants by checkmating the high rent for accommodation, particularly in Asaba , Okpanam and environs.
”We appeal to the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to replicate the prototype of Jakande, Alaba and Amuwo-Odoffin estates in Lagos state to crash the rents and effectively utilise land spaces at more affordable costs”
“If the state government can partner developers and build highrising accommodation buildings, it will be cheaper, effective to manage and affordable given the currents costs of acquiring land and the rising accommodation rents in the state, particularly Asaba and environs”
“Your ministry is critical to the development of the state and in line with the Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E. Agenda, you have played key role in the visible achievements of the governor since assumption of office”, Olannye stated.
Source: Sam Erhunmwunsee, Radio Nigeria Asaba.
