Abuja, July 20 (Viewpoint Housing News) – The Director, Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Department, Office of the Head of Civil Service to Federation (OHCSF), Mrs. Uchenna Obi, at a recent two day sensitisation workshop for the directorates cadre and desk officers on the implementation of the FISH programme’s Co-operative Society across various Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the rudiments involved in the smooth take-off of the newly introduced FISH Co-operative Society in the Federal Civil Service, revealed that not less than 300 civil servants who were off-takers, have benefited from the federal government’s affordable housing for workers under the umbrella of FISH programme.
She acknowledged the efforts of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, towards accomplishing its mandate of delivering affordable housing to Civil Servants through the implementation, leadership, as well as funding of the Programme.
“The result of this is evident in the commissioning of four (4) Estates since its inception in 2015 and the delivery of houses in different locations within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) such as Mararaba, Kuje, Bwari, Karshi, Karu and Apo-Wumba to over 300 officers/off-takers and the acquisition of landed properties at Gwagwalada (5 hectares), Public Service Institute (5 hectares) and Jiwa District (8.12 hectares), respectively, she said.
She reiterated the need to sustain the development attained in the provision of housing infrastructures to officers, which has led to the constitution of the FISH Co-operative Committee by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), in line with global best practices.
She also enjoined Civil Servants to subscribe to the FISH Programme by obtaining the FISH Co-operative membership and House Allocation Forms via OHCSF’s website, complete and submit for further processing.
The 2-day Workshop featured Facilitators/Resources Persons, who, in their various presentations, emphasised on the co-operative model as a game changer in the provision of affordable and accessible housing for workers.
They also harped on achieving such via technology, as digitalisation has become the dynamic global trend and seamless way of ensuring sustainability in innovation.
