Yahaya Aminat —
THE Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong at the ground breaking of a mass housing estate last weekend in Jos, the state capital, said that there is an existing housing deficit of approximately 1.2 million in the state.
Lalong added that construction of the mass housing estate which is to cushion the ‘effect of urbanization and its attendant challenges’ in the state, is in partnership with Odigbo Properties Limited. He revealed that it will mark another milestone in collaborative partnership between the state government and the private sector.
Lalong also added that housing became an important issue because, population in the state was increasing daily, outgrowing the number of houses in the state.
“This has led to many challenges, including rapid urbanization characterized by urban slums, over-crowding, unwholesome environmental conditions, absence of open spaces and overdevelopment of land among others, the Governor said.
“These challenges continue to bother government, hence the efforts to engage the private sector in developing modern housing that provides top class facilities, using modern building technologies. The engagement with Odigbo Properties Ltd for the construction of Royal Palm Estate is one of the outcomes of the efforts of government in this regard.
“There are 19 other MOUs signed on behalf of government by Ministry of Housing with private developers and we are awaiting their arrival to commence construction just as Odigbo Properties has done.
“Through partnerships such as this, we hope to address the shortage of mass housing in the State and also address the problem of unplanned development that has seriously affected the beauty of the city and hampered access,” he noted.
