President Goodluck Jonathan Thursday commissioned N2.4bn mass housing
of 270 flats named Aviation Village in Abuja, financed by the Federal
Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).
While commissioning the project, the president assured on the
determination of his administration to provide housing for all
Nigerians.
Jonathan said "as for this administration, I assure you all that
improving the living standards of Nigerians is an imperative which we
are resolutely pursuing."
According to him, the recommendations of the 2011 housing retreat
hosted by him in Abuja are beginning to yield fruits as a result of its
implementation.
He said the National Policy on Housing had ensured that finance
institutions with interest in housing are more strengthened and relevant
to low income earners.
While launching the National Housing Fund (NHF) e-card scheme, the
president disclosed that it will in no small measure assist NHF in
assessing and monitoring their contributions and transactions with the
Fund.
Jonathan stressed the need for defaulters to comply by paying their contributions as and at when due.
"Our intention is not to create a government monopoly but to encourage
the private sector to drive the process while we provide the right
policies and environment.
"what makes change is not the big things we do but the little things we do and to do them well" the president said.
Minister of Solid Minerals and Supervising Minister of Housing, Lands
and Urban Development, Musa Sada, noted that the recapitalisation of
FMBN was on the pipeline, urging the institution not to rest on its oars
on estate construction across the country.
The minister disclosed new National Building Code would soon be rolled
out, insisting that housing for all Nigerians was feasible.
He said NHF e-card was a modern technology and a welcome development as it will ensured online access by NHF contributors.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing, Bukar Abba Ibrahim,
appealed to Jonathan reverse what he described as the marginalisation of
the North-east.
He gave kudos to the president on the efforts being made to address insecurity in the regiion.
The senator canvassed for the replication of the Aviation Village across the country
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Abdulwahab Omar, told
Jonathan that "we are witnessing true transformation, nobody should
discourage you when we invite you to come and commission more houses or
even for ground-breaking ceremonies at new sites."