Gov. Mai Bala Buni of Yobe has been named Nigeria’s Housing Friendly Governor of the Year 2022 for announcing 50 per cent subsidy on houses built for civil servants in the state.
The governor was conferred with the award by the Housing Development Advocacy Network at the Africa Housing Awards, an annual event that celebrates and promotes excellence in the housing and construction industry, in Abuja.
Speaking at the occasion, Buni said that the passion to alleviate the housing need of the people inspired his government to build 2,250 housing units for the beneficiaries in the state
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor was represented by his deputy, Idi Gubana.
“The need for the construction of 2250 housing unit by this administration arose because of the need in the sector and the remedy is the mass housing policy that will alleviate the housing need of the people.
“These housing units were divided into three categories, three bedrooms urban and two bedrooms rural detached, which were constructed across the state, while some were built in tertiary institutions, hospitals and other government institutions that required housing for their staff.
“To ensure efficient and timely completion of the housing unit, Family Homes Limited was contracted to undertake the project and handed over to the state government in record time,” he said.
He commended all the state government housing agencies for their supervisory role to ensure the timely delivery and qualitative housing to the people of the state.
In his remarks the deputy governor said that it was also to the credit of the state governor that the housing was subsidized by 50 per cent of the total cost that was allocated to the beneficiaries
Gubana, therefore, commended the governor for his magnanimity towards the good people of Yobe State
He also appreciated the organizer of the African Housing Award Mr Festus Adebayo, for recognizing the governor, corporate organizations and individuals, who have excelled in the provision of housing for the masses.
The Executive Director Housing Development Advocacy Network, Festus Adebayo, said that the essence of the event was to look at the event and give honours and awards to those who have done a more in a better way than others in the sector.
“For instance those who have shown some level of creativities, innovation, that is why you see many of us here”.
Adebayo said that the way out to the problem of housing in the country was for the government to take the business of houses serious by being responsible in providing low cost housing.
He said that was the only way the government could help in addressing the challenges of affordable housing in Nigeria.
“The challenges basically are the interest rate, access to land, titling and commercialization of building approvals; these are the factors that are affecting the cost of houses in Nigeria.
“Now looking at the economy, with the high level of inflation which has made the prices of building materials to be up, what you see around is that the private sectors are building for those who already have the houses, while those who cannot afford the houses are still battling to own houses.
“So therefore, the way forward is for the government to take the business of housing serious by being responsible in providing low cost housing.
“Government is the only one that can provide low cost housing; it is only government that can drive the social housing, affordable housing, because it is the government that has the custody of land.
“Look at what we are doing today, we are honouring the governor of Yobe State, this the governor that built houses and found out that the cost of the houses is N7 million or N8million and the government said how are you going to afford these houses with the level of the economy and the government is subsidizing by 50 per cent.
“These are the area by which government can involve, provision of subsidy, either for the building materials, importation or tax incentives for any one that is into provision of building materials, these are the way forward.
“And, in the case of the Yobe State, the government did not end up in providing 50 per cent subsidy but also said that the 50 per cent that remains will be paid for ten years. Imagine paying 50 per cent of 7 million for 10 years, it is like dashing away the house.”
Also, the Nigeria’s Ambassador to Republic of Burundi, Elijah Onyeagba, urged the government to focus more on the provision of affordable houses for the low income earners in the country.
Onyeagba who was awarded with the Housing Friendly Diplomat of the Year said: “Government should take the leading role to ensure that land is available, most governors land it is important that government make available land to the people.
“It not also enough to provide land without infrastructure, a land without infrastructure is a bush, if you look at the housing project the value of the land and infrastructure supposed to be like 40 to 50 per cent, land is just an appendages. It is important that government take that lead role.”
Also, Ibrahim Abdulkareem, a Director-General at Labour Party, said that Mr Peter Obi’s priority was provision of affordable housing for the masses.
“ Mr Peter Obi has said that housing and infrastructure provision would be one of his priorities because there is no way you can build a nation where people don’t have shelter.
“The importance of shelter is not just only for housing but for privacy, you have to have a house that give a privacy to children and others, we are looking at housing in a different way how is it going to address the needs of the people?
“One of the priorities of Obi/Datti’ priorities is to ensure that every Nigeria has a shelter on his head so that we can reduce the vices that we have seen,” he said.
Other awardees included the founder of Imani Estate, Late Malam Abdul Abubakar, who was posthumously inducted for his pioneering role in estate development in the FCT.
Also among the awardees were Dangote Cement Company, for customers service award and Jaiz Bank for non-interest finance and housing with Nigerite Company Ltd for innovative Cement Fibre Company.
Prof. Samson Duna, Director-General Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute was awarded with outstanding CEO of government agency.(NAN)
