Higher income bracket subscribers will again have a pride of place under the government’s dream project to increase the housing stock in the country.
The new efforts is being anchored by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) under the public private partnership Scheme, planned to ensure greater efficiency in housing delivery and ensure injections of private sector funding into public sector. The authority adopted the models in 2009 when Terver Gemade headed the new management.
Under the scheme, the housing agency has selected 27 building and civil engineering firms and planning to builds a total of 6,009 housing units in 10 states across the nation’s geo-political zones.
The firms are Daniensobi International Limited, Gidion Associates, Aims Partners, G.S. ohms Integrated Engineering Ventures Limited, Godon Development Limited, Lakes Investment and Properties Limited, Chrisn Brown International Limited, Eresere and Company Limited, Fransbros Nigeria Limited, Paul-B Nigeria Plc, Oliver Braide Limited and Petros-Bara International Limited.
Others are Bentos Engineering Services Limited, Axil Nigeria Limited, Puzzles Group Limited, Minno Global Concepts, Lubel Nigeria Limited, Archcon Nigeria Limited, Jireh Development Limited, Milk and Honey Investment Limited, Powerform Construction Nigeria Limited, CUCC Gliobal Resources Limited, Minfa Limited, Benostruct Limited, ASKA Nigeria Limited, Allied Associated Limited and Pye Lad Limited.
The benefitting states are Anambra (1,023 units), Bayelsa (1,740 units), Benue (200 units), Cross River (506 units) and Ekiti (720 units). Others are Gombe (280 units), Kaduna (330 units), Lagos (638 units), Osun (292 units) and Taraba (280 units).
Under the arrangement, the authority provides land and technical support while the investing partners provide the funds for the construction of the housing units. The parties share the profit from the venture when the housing units are sold. The projects, estimated to cost about N68 billion on completion was approved by the Board of the authority in its determination to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing nationwide. The private sectors operators are participating in the housing projects have between 18 to 24 months completion and scheduled to take off immediately.
FHA Managing Director, Gemade who announced this in Abuja said that 70 housing units would be built at Apo, in the Gudu district of Abuja, while 104 units would be built in Awka, Anambra State. Makurdi, Benue State and Gombe, Gombe State would have 80 units each.
Gemade, who spoke to reporters during a routine project inspection visit to Lugbe Estate in the Federal Capital, said that the Authority was determined to take its activities to all parts of the country.
In pursuance of that determination, he added that the new housing units at Goningora Estate, Kaduna had been completed while work was at advance stages on the estates at Odukpani, Cross River State and Osogbo, Osun State.
He said each of the estate would be supported with modern infrastructure including asphalted roads, drains, external electrification, external mechanical works and independent water supply.
The FHA first embarked on a PPP project in 2002, which delivered a total of 651 housing units in Gwarinpa II Estate, Abuja. Similar projects to deliver 1,455 housing units in Apo, Abuja and 11,450 units at Auta Balefi, Nasarawa State are on-going. The Authority is also to build about 300 new housing units in Abuja and three other locations across the country by direct construction.
The FHA boss said recently that the PPP generally was profit driven to the large capital outlay and high costs of fund for short-term transaction. “This model of housing delivery does not often encourage housing for low income earners. Affordability in housing has to do with ability to acquire and not necessarily low cost as usually perceived by those yearning for these products. Mass housing can be for any category of income earners provided the houses are produced enmasse within a specified period.”
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Source: The Guardian