The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), has inaugurated 100 Housing Units’ Estate for civil servants in Kogi State.
Speaking at the official inauguration on Thursday in Lokoja, the Executive Director, Loans and Mortgage Services of FMBN, Mr Lukman Mustapha, commended the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) for the collaborative efforts.
He noted that the project was funded by FMBN and developed in collaboration with the organised labour under the FMBN/NLC/NUC/NECA National Affordable Housing Delivery Programme (NAHDEP) for Nigerian workers.
Mustapha said that the housing estate consists of 100 housing units comprising of 20 units one-bedroom, 40 units two-bedroom and 40 units three-bedroom semi-detached bungalows.
According to him, the estate is fully serviced with basic infrastructure including electricity, internal road network with drainages, and water, to create a conducive and liveable environment.
He added that the houses had also been designed to align with local peculiarities while keeping an eye on affordability.
”The commissioning of this project today as well as similar ceremonies across the federation, is a testimony they the FMBN is delivering on its mandate and needs unqualified support from all stakeholders.
”By this endeavour, we are not only reducing housing deficit in the country, we are also creating jobs and tackling unemployment.
”Our different categories of services are designed to ensure access to homeownership for Nigerians,” he said.
According to Mustapha, the FMBN remains the only institution offering affordable mortgages to Nigerians at less than 10 per cent through the products like the Individual National Housing Fund (NHF) Loan, Individual NHF construction loan, and the Rent-to-Own product.
”Here today, FMBN will be handing over keys to off-takers of some of the houses in this estate through our Rent-to-Own mortgage product that enables beneficiaries to take possession with no down payment.
”The repayment under this product is structured like monthly rent through which beneficiaries assumed ownership after the loan has been liquidated,” he said.
Mustapha commended the NLC, TUC and NECA for their commitment to the advancement of workers’ welfare, and their numerous sacrifices in perfecting the framework for the programme.
He thanked His Excellency, Gov. Yahaya Bello, for his unquantifiable support that has led to the successful delivery of the project.
The executive director commended the governor for not only donating the land for the project but also performed the ground breaking ceremony to kick-start the development of the estate.
He, however, implored the governor to intervene to provide a good access road to the estate as promised by the State Government during the ground breaking ceremony.
In his remarks, the Governor said the housing project was very exciting to Kogi Government as the main employer of the beneficiaries.
Bello said one of his objectives at inception of his Administration, was to improve the standard of living of Kogi workers including access to affordable housing where they could live and raise their families in a secure and functional environment.
Bello, who was epresented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Ayoade, said: ”I am glad that what was the vision then is a reality now”.
The governor commended all the partners who worked together in the delivery of the housing project, particularly the FMBN, saying the state needed more of such project.
He appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for the great initiative, describing it as a timely policy that would cotniue to live upto expectations.
Bello commended the NLC, TUC, NECA, for the unity and great role they played in ensuring the project’s success as well as the harmonious industrial relationship and support from the labour union to the state government.
The governor assured the beneficiaries of adequate protection, while urging them to uphold the estate management’s rules and regulations to observe the water, sanitation and hygiene stipulations, and avoid harbouring criminal activities.
Speaking, Mr Sule Salau, the Group Managing Director, MAHFAS Engineering Limited, who executed the project, thanked the Governor for his commitment to workers welfare and his enviable vision for affordable housing for the citizens of Kogi State.
He stressed that the project was only possible because the Kogi Government not only made the land available, but also ensured prompt remittance of NHF contributions to FMBN so that they can benefit from its nationwide scheme
Salau noted that the project was just the first phase, saying the phase 2 would commence soon.
He thanked the management of FMBN for developing practical and innovative solutions to solve Nigeria’s housing crisis.
”Once again we would like to express deep appreciation and thank all the stakeholders for your support and wish all the owners a happy stay in their new home,” he said.
In their goodwill messages, representatives of NLC and TUC Presidents, as well as the Director General of NECA; Mr Ayuba Waba; Mr Festus Osifo; and Mr Adewale Oyerinde, all commended the FMBN and Kogi Government for the gesture.
Ayuba, who was represented by Mr Yahaya Ibrahim, NLC Vice President; and Osifo, who was represented by Mr Ahmed Tijani, Kogi TUC Chairman, expressed their happiness over the housing project.
Oyerinde, who was represented by Mr Mahmud Usman, expressed NECA’s readiness to always partner with stakeholders to ensure that Nigerian workers get affordable housing.
Some of the beneficiaries, Prof. Shuaibu Itila; Mr Kabiru Omeiza; Dr Ahmed Momohjimoh; Samdat Abdulumin; and Mr Daniel Osasona, expressed their deepest appreciation to FMBN, NLC, TUC, NECA, Kogi Government and other stakeholders for the initiative.
Itila, a lecturer at National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), said it gladdened his heart as a public commentator, that there was still hope in ‘Nigeria project’.
According to him, the application process for the housing was a seamless exercise without knowing anybody or any form of corrupt practices.
”This shows that there is still hope for common man in Nigeria,” Itila said.