Stakeholders brainstorm on housing deficit

The experts took a critical look at the draft road map that will form the nucleus of policy formulation of the housing and urban sector in the country, or simply put, it is to serve as the ‘constitution’ of the housing and urban sector. The Draft Roadmap once approved, according to the minister of Lands, Housing […]

The experts took a critical look at the draft road map that will form the nucleus of policy formulation of the housing and urban sector in the country, or simply put, it is to serve as the ‘constitution’ of the housing and urban sector.
 The Draft Roadmap once approved, according to the minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, will provide the way for implementation of policies for the housing and urban development sector, for the next 30 years.
She asserted that it will help in transforming our cities into livable and functional human settlements, leading to unprecedented housing revolution in Nigeria.
She said, “Through the instrumentality of the roadmap, the culture of focusing almost exclusively on low-hanging fruits will be replaced with a new paradigm of action orientation, meticulous planning and well-articulated programmes for enhanced performance and impactful results towards repositioning the housing and urban development sector effectively as one of the key sectors for advancing the agenda of sustainable national development and prosperity.”
She said that while the Draft Roadmap was being articulated, the National Planning Commission (NPC) has begun the process of developing a 30-year National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP) which was approved by the Federal Executive Council recently after being endorsed by the National Economic Council (NEC).
Eyankayi said, “We are pleased to note the mutual complementarities of the Draft Roadmap and the NIIMP, and their alignment as a framework of action for 30 years. With the NIIMP now in place and its synergy with the Roadmap, we are committed to the realization of the sector aspiration and targets of the housing and regional development component of the plan document for the revitalization and accelerated transformation of the housing and urban development sector. “
She further disclosed that the revised National Building Code has been finalized, assuring that she will ensure that the revised building code is approved by government as soon as possible.
 She said that the ministry will partner state governments, regulatory bodies and other key stakeholders to ensure the enforcement of its provisions once approved and become operational.
“I believe that with our determination to ensure strict enforcement of the code, we shall succeed in raising the bar of professional practice and ethical standards in the building and construction industry.”
The President of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Chief Olabode Afolayan, expressed optimism that with the caliber of participants and inputs from stakeholders in the housing sector in the revalidation process of the road map; the sector will soon witness a robust housing delivery to the citizenry.
He said, “It will ensure that everything is done in the most cost effective manner and will ensure that all housing projects meet standard requirement.”