FCT to create 50,000 jobs with mass housing scheme

The Federal Capital Territory Administration is to create no fewer than 50,000 jobs with its mass housing scheme project.
The Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, who disclosed this, said the construction of 5,000 housing units in Wasa and Mamusa West will have a major impact on the populace of Abuja.
Akinjide made this known at the third annual National Social Housing Seminar organised by the Forum of Advocates for Social Housing.
The minister, who was represented by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Engr. Anthony Ozodinobi, said the project would speed up economic growth of the FCT and reduce the strain on the present housing stock.
Besides, she noted that the mass housing scheme, when completed, would crash the current high cost of accommodation in the FCT.
She said: “His Excellency Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, recently graciously approved the Affordable Housing Programme of the FCT Administration. The Administration has commenced work on the project by rolling out a scheme involving 5,000 housing units at the first instance.
“The overall objective of the scheme is to stem the dearth of accommodation in the FCT and to make for economics of scale. The estate will build the necessary critical mass needed for the maintenance of common utility services as well as provide a secure community conducive for business, leisure and raising our children.”
She explained that the project was being executed through a public private partnership initiative, with the FCT Administration providing the required land and primary and secondary infrastructure while the developer will provide the tertiary infrastructure.
She emphasised the need for a dynamic policy of decent and affordable housing for residents of the FCT.
According to her, the vision of the FCT Administration to be among the top 20 cities of the world in the Year 2020 would be unrealisable without a decent housing policy for FCT residents.
Akinjide said: “Shelter has remained one of human’s basic needs since the inception of the human race. Globally, we are face with the challenge of providing social housing needs that are affordable to the common man. In the FCT, just like many other cities in Nigeria and the world, provision of housing has continued to pose enormous challenges due to the high increase in population.
“The increase in number of people that come into the Territory on daily basis has further put pressure not only on our housing facility, but also on other infrastructure and service delivery. The FCT Administration is, however, assiduously working to eliminate housing deficit in the territory.”
Akinjide added that the FCT Administration had introduced the Accelerated Area Councils Titles Re-issuance Scheme towards ensuring the conversion of Area Councils’ customary land titles to statutory ones.