In its bid to ascertain housing deficit in the country, the Federal Government will conduct a housing census, the Minister of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Ama Pepple, has said
The minister announced this on Monday in Abuja when she met with members of the steering committee on the restructuring and commercialization of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).
The census, she said, would determine what had been achieved and what needed to be done in the housing sector, saying “a lot has been done” in the sector since 2011.
She said that in spite of the challenges and unproductive measures taken by the FHA in housing delivery, other means initiated by the Federal Government had boosted the housing sector.
The minister listed the means to include public-private partnership and public-public partnership model.
She said that the housing deficit in Nigeria had for year been estimated at 17 million units, adding, “I believe that with the projects embarked on so far, we have less than that.’’
The minister said the census would expose states that had not met the minimum expectation in the housing sector and serve as avenue to commend those that had achieved the minimum standard.
“It will further strengthen our efforts to achieve our aim in the housing sector in line with the vision 20:2020,” she said.
Ms. Pepple said the 36 state commissioners, as well as the FCT had been requested to submit the number of housing projects delivered and those still in progress from 2011 to date.
She added that some states had started collating data on the housing projects they embarked on.
She restated the ministry’s commitment to effective housing delivery in the country in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda.
“We have mass housing and affordable housing projects for the average/ low income earners in the civil service; we also have housing projects for people in the informal sector,” she said.
The minister said that the housing census would be undertaken by the ministry in collaboration with the Bureau of Statistic and Census Population Commission.
(NAN)
