‘Policies needed to boost local building materials in the country’

The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) has called on the government to evolve policies that would boost local building materials in the country. According to NIQS presidents and former Minister of state for Power, Mallam Murtala Aliyu, this is the way to significantly bridge the housing gap in Nigeria.

NIQS’ president spoke last week at the sod turning of choice 83 housing units, named as James Pinnock Place Phase III, located on about three hectares of land, where the waterfront portion of the estate directly faces the Lagos lagoon within the Lekki neighborhood.

Owned by UPDC, the estate, which offers a cool and airy atmosphere for residents, will further redefine the landscape of Lagos is. It was designed to provide 11 units of five bedroom detached houses with boys quarter, 28 units of four bedroom semi-detached houses with boys quarter, 42 units of three bedroom apartments with boys quarter and two units of four bedroom maisonette with boys quarter. Recreational facilities are swimming pool, gymnasium and children’s playground.

Speaking with journalists, after performing the sod turning ceremony, Aliyu, who was the Guest of Honour at the event, said since it was not possible for government to meet the housing needs of her people, it was therefore, imperative for it to put in place programmes that will encourage developers to deliver more affordable homes.

“We need to support private developers because the truth is that government alone cannot meet the housing needs of the nation. Government can create enabling environment that will address the supply of housing.

Once the government can attend to the supply ends, more affordable houses will be built.” According to him, to build affordable homes in Nigeria, there must deliberate programmes to ensure most of our building materials are sourced locally.

Explaining the rationale for the invitation of NIQS’ chief, Managing Director, Hakeem Ogunniran, said although UPDC has been working with the built professionals, his firm has decided to align itself, by giving them the recognition they deserve.

“We recognise that we are all stakeholders in this industry and that the more we understand ourselves, the more we understand the issues, the more we collaborate together.