The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr
Babatunde Fashola has said that the federal
government had through 2016 National
Housing Programme generated about 64,000
jobs across the nation.
Fashola
He stated that the government apart from
addressing housing deficit in the country by
injecting over 2,000 housing units, the present
administration has succeeded in reducing
unemployment across the nation.
Fielding questions from newsmen in Osogbo
yesterday while on inspection tour of the site
of Federal Housing Programme for Osun state
state in Abeere, the minister disclosed that all
categories of workers in the construction
industry benefited from the program.
Represented Mr Olasunkanmi Dunmoye, the
South-West Zonal Director of the program, the
minister, who described the Osun site with 68
housing units comprising of 44 units of 2
bedroom flats, 20 units of 3-bedroom flats and
4 units of 1bedroom, as the best in the region,
also commended the state governor, Mr. Rauf
Aregbesola for donating large expanse of land
free of charge for the programme.
Fashola also added that letters have been
forwarded to all state governors in the country
to provide land for the second phase of the
programme.
He added that the programme, which took off
simultaneously in 34 states across the country
in January, 2017, would be the second real
attempt after Shagari administration’s Low
Cost Housing Scheme, by the federal
government to address housing challenges
facing the country.
He then called on stakeholders in the
programme not to relent but to gear efforts
towards making it a resounding success.
His words: “From contractors to artisans and
suppliers, over 2,000 jobs were created in
Osun site of the programme alone. In other 33
states where the programme is currently on,
no less than 2000 jobs must have been
created also.
“So, apart from addressing our housing needs
as a country, this 2016 National Housing
Programme has created over 64,000 job
opportunities for our people across the
country. More jobs will be created when the
second phase starts”, Fashola said.
The representative of Osun state governor,
Town Planner Amidu Folaranmi, in his remarks,
pledged total commitment of the state
government to the programme, saying many
indigenes of the state have benefited from the
programme through direct and indirect
employment opportunities.
Speaking on behalf of contractors handling
some of the projects, Mr. Kola Awokoya,
commended the federal government for the
initiative, but advised that perimeter fencing
should be constructed round the site.