Niger Govt, FHF to Spend N1.8bn on 1,200 Housing Units for Citizens
AREWA AGENDA – Niger Government, on Wednesday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Family Home Funds, a financing firm, to develop 1,200 housing units at a cost of N1.8 billion.
Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger, while signing the MoU in Minna, said the project was part of the state government’s efforts to provide qualitative and affordable houses for the people.
Bello decried the poor condition of the existing four estates that were built by previous administrations.
He, therefore, advised financing firm to ensure the contractors abide by terms of the agreement to build quality houses.
“We have had bad experiences when it comes to estates, especially with four of our estates – M.I. Wushishi and Talba estates in Minna, Sani Bello and Aliyu Makama housing estates in Kontagora and Bida.
“This is as a result of bad structuring and MoU.
“I hope the contract will be clear and the contractors will abide by the agreement and that both parties will take the matter seriously to ensure the houses are built in accordance to structure and terms,’’ the governor said.
He said that provision for contractors to make profits were usually contained in the bill of quantity, but that “most contractors get greedy while executing projects’’.
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He, however, gave assurance of full government support in executing the project in order to provide decent and affordable houses for the people.
Earlier, Mr Femi Adewole, Managing Director of Family Funds Home, explained that the project was to provide 1,200 housing units for citizens that would change their lives.
Adewole said that the project would create 6,000 jobs for women and youths through indirect linkages.
He added that the company was working with nine state governments to build 14,000 homes altogether.
He assured that the company would work assiduously to disburse funds for immediate take-off of the project.
The managing director appealed to the state government to ensure the enhancement of infrastructure provision for quality homes.
“Family Home Funds is financing the project to provide quality homes and the state government is to repay the loan between the period of seven to eight years,’’ he said.
Also, Malam Ahmed Abdullah, General Manager of the Niger State Housing Cooperation said that 70 per cent beneficiaries of the houses would be civil servants while 30 per cent would be the general public.
Under the first phase, he said that 300 units of two bedrooms flats would be built and 100 units of three bedrooms under the second phase.
He added that the houses would be located along Kaduna-Abuja road.
Arewa Agenda is a Publication of young writers from Northern Nigeria towards peaceful coexistence and national development through positive narratives.
