The Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has called for urgent and concerted efforts by government and private sector to address the housing deficit in the country put at 17 million houses.

Okowa, who stated this on Wednesday at the unveiling of the Governance Villa Housing Estate, Ibusa in the Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state, said aside from meeting the housing needs of Nigerians, there was also a need to provide affordable houses for low-income earners.

The governor stated that his administration would continue to partner private investors to meet the housing needs in the state.

He said, “There is a lot of gap in the nation’s housing sector and the more we provide affordable houses for the civil servants and all Nigerians, the better for our nation.

“With steady efforts, with determination, for every house that is built, we are reducing the housing gap in our nation. My administration will continue to work with the private sector, mortgage finance banks to develop the housing sector in Delta State.”

Mortgage institutions, according to the governor, have a lot of roles to play in encouraging civil servants in particular to own their houses.

Okowa, accompanied by top members of the State Executive Council, urged private property developers to work with relevant government ministries in designing their building plans to avoid going against the law.

He warned that his administration would not tolerate erection of buildings under high tension or power lines, which he described as dangerous.

The Chief Executive Officer of Delta Trust Mortgage Bank Limited, Mrs Rubby Okoro, commended the state government for providing the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive in the state.

She also appealed to civil servants in the state to utilise the services rendered by the mortgage bank to own their houses. Punch