By Abel Leonard/ Lafia
Nasarawa State Government says it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Family Homes Fund (FHF) and Federal Mortgage Bank to provide 2, 000 houses worth N11 billion to civil servants in the state.
Speaking during the signing of the agreement, Wednesday in Lafia, Governor Abdullahi Sule said the agreement is part of the cardinal objectives of his government as captured in the Nasarawa State Economic Development Strategies (NEDS).
He said provision of housing was one of the important thing his administration intends to achieve to change the situation of civil servants for better.
The governor explained that civil housing would be provided for servants earning below N100, 000 monthly, promised improved welfare for civil servants and provision of housing programme was in fulfilment of his promise.
Sule said the agreement would, “create wealth, employment opportunity, create development, boost economic activities in the state as well as provide homes for the less privilege.
“When the work on the housing project commence, it would provide employment for over 20, 000 youths, thereby taking them off the streets.
“This would also help in addressing youth restiveness in the state given the insecurity,” the Governor added
Governor Sule also expressed gratitude to Family Homes Fund and Federal Mortgage Bank for partnering the state towards addressing the problem of housing deficit.
He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the idea to care for the less privilege by providing housing for them to call their homes.
Governor Sule therefore said the state would provide land and other necessary logistics for the smooth execution of the project.
Earlier, Femi Adewale, Managing Director (MD) Family Homes Fund lauded the state government for the partnership and promised that workers would enjoy from the initiative to make them proud house owners.
The MD of FHF said the signing of the agreement is a landmark achievement to them, as it would give them the opportunity to help toward providing houses for low and medium income eanelrs thereby improving the quality of their lives.
He explained that the projects would provide thousands of employment opportunities in the state through direct and indirect means.
“Apart from those to be engaged to work in the site, traders would make high sales.
“We would also ensure that all inputs and materials to be used are sources locally to empower the people of the state,” the FUF boss added.
He noted that he have no doubt the the project would succeed well as all the critical bodies of housing programme were brought together under one roof.
He said their company would invest N6 billion at the initial stage and invest another N5 billion as the project progresses.
He therefore expressed their willingness to partner the Nasarawa State Government and government of other states toward addressing the housing deficit in the country.
On his part, Ahmed Danjuma, Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank represented by Oladepo Fakeye, Group Head Strategy, said the bank has been partnering Nasarawa State Government for some time now.
He explained that the bank was in charge of the management of National Housing Fund to provide housing for public and private workforce.
He said that beneficiaries of the houses are expected to contribute just two point five per cent of their monthly salary to the fund and they have up to thirty years to pay for the house with interest rate of six per cent.
He Mortgage Bank boss also explained that the bank had funded four estates already in Nasarawa State with one in Lafia, one in Keffi, one in Uke and one in Mararaba.
