Solving The Problem Of Affordable Housing In Nigeria

Solving The Problem Of Affordable Housing In Nigeria

Rolling out mind boggling policies capable of solving identified problems in the housing and other sub-sectors problem has been lack of sincerity of purpose by successive governments to implement the policies, George Okojie writes

More worrisome is that the trend has continued under governments that lay claims to democratic credentials despite the fact that the United Nations (UN) had before now estimated that the nation has 16 million housing deficit and that it needs to construct 720,000 housing units annually in the next 20 years to bridge the gap.

Despite this fact, the nation is yet to witness aggressive approach to reduce the trend.

Over the years, the initial passion to propel the relevant agencies towards the provision of social housing for Nigerians noticed during electoral campaigns often wane as soon as the government officials wins such elections and consolidate in their positions.

The most disappointing move by the Federal Government in this regard was the failure of the 19-member committee set up by the former Minister of Housing, Lands and Urban Development, Ms Amal Pepple, to come up with workable template for mass housing after reviewing the draft National Housing and Urban Development Policies.

Observers had thought that the committee would look at how the nation can build mass houses at affordable prices for the populace; address the problems associated with access to land and housing units by end users; and high cost of finance and building materials in the country.

More so that Pepple’s attempts then at producing a draft of the country’s housing and urban development policies was coming five years after a similar effort was truncated when the then Federal Executive Council (FEC), failed to approve the document submitted to it due to some perceived inconsistencies.

The hope rekindled then by the constitution of a committee whose term of reference, the committee was to review and update the Draft National Housing and Urban Development Policies in line with the priorities outlined in both the transformation agenda of the defunct Dr Goodluck Jonathan led administration and the nation’s vision was dashed as their recommendation ended up limbo.

The second Vice President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr Kunle Awobodu is of the opinion that government can make a difference if they tackle the major challenge in the housing industry which has to do with policy reversal on the part of government.

According to him, it was high time the government took critical look at the issues of escalating prices of building materials and finance and come out with best solutions, adding that ways out of the Land Use Act, which has constituted hindrance to land accessibility by Nigerians and investors, must be given priority attention.

As far as he is concerned any government serious about providing affordable housing must look at the issue of fund because that has been a major problem for developers and Nigerians to access their houses.

“They should also consider the issue of the Land Use Act because the Act has constituted major hindrance to land accessibility by Nigerians and investors.

“They should also consider the issues of the high cost of building materials especially cement, and that is where option for alternative building materials comes in.”

A realtor, Simeon Adaku noted that review of policies was not the problem but implementation, noting that past policies had never been impactful because government lacked the will power to implement them.

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Adaku urged the present government to emphasise on the need for effective monitoring of performance of housing policies in their recommendations.

He said, “Though areas such as accessibility to land, right pricing for building materials, security of title and mortgage require urgent review but need for effective monitoring of performance of the housing policies should be emphasised.

One government observers say has shown serious commitment towards mass housing delivery is the Cross River State were plans are afoot to provide affordable housing for low-income earners by signing into law an act making houses available for the low-income earners.

The Cross River law, which is the Social Housing Law, is expected to make housing for the vulnerable a right is being driven by Governor Ben Ayade who described the law as holding emotional significance to him.

Ayade whose footprint in office within a short time has been remarkable said, “The most emotional bill to me is the Social Housing Law which seeks to provide housing for the poorest of the poor in the state. Various researches have linked corruption in civil service to housing.

“It has also been proven that given the salaries of average civil servants, if they don’t originate memos that give them extra money, if they don’t comprise, there is no civil servant in Nigeria that will be able to build a house. So by virtue of our salary structure, you have already created catalysis for corruption to thrive.

“By this bill, housing in Cross River State is now a right to the citizenry, it may not be justifiable at this point in time but we have created a legal stimulus to drive the structure that we can achieve housing for everybody, and in the process, stamp out all mud and thatch houses in Cross River State.”

Fresh facts that emanated from a publication in the Irish Times showed that “Galway Company is in talks with a regional government in Nigeria to establish a factory there and build up to 5,000 modular homes for a social housing project.

“Some of the houses are being proposed for a new “city”, dubbed “Calas Vegas” by local officials, adjacent to the existing state capital of Calabar.

The report stated that the houses would be designed off-site and erected in less than a week each.

Desmond Cullinane, Chairman of Affordable Building Concepts International in Oranmore, stated that his company is in discussions with the administration of Ben Ayade, the governor of Cross River State in Southern Nigeria in relation to the proposed project even though “nothing has been concluded at this stage.”

The report added that,” they came to see what we had to offer and they liked it. It would be a major investment, but nothing is decided yet.

“Ayade had always said that the modular homes would be constructed according to three different grades.

He said they would be manufactured at a factory set up by Affordable Building Concepts, and erected to house poor residents in less than three days.

“The venture’s website says it has developed a patented foam cement panel it uses to build walls in its quick building method.

Cullinane said it can erect a house in less than five days using the method (and) the company currently has an annual production capacity of up to 15,000 houses.

“The houses are built in sections, with doors and windows in place within each section before it is erected,” he said.

If the efforts and promises translates to physical housing units people can inhabit Governor Ayade would have succeeded in proving to Nigerians the importance of political will in mass housing delivery.