23rd January, 2017
The Anambra government on Monday said it was collaborating with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to complete its housing scheme for civil servants in the state.
Mr Frank Offor, the state Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, said in Onitsha that the collaboration was in government’s bid to provide affordable houses for its workers.
“Due to the economic recession, the state government decided to involve the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria to finance the civil servant housing project.
“By this arrangement, it won’t take time for the projects to be delivered. The state government and the bank are already working on the process.
“Therefore, as soon as funds are released work will begin on the sites,’’ Offor said.
He said that Gov. Willie Obiano was passionate about meeting the housing needs of workers in the state.
The commissioner also disclosed that the state government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with investors for the construction of eight housing estates across the state.
“Government signed an MoU with Tabs Engineering Ltd. for the construction of housing units across the three senatorial zones of the state valued at N57.4 billion.
“EFABS Property Ltd. is also expected to construct 1,000 housing units at Amansea near Awka for the middle and high-class valued at N26.4 billion.
“The state government contracted Dozzy Investments Ltd. to build another 1, 000 housing units in Awka at the cost of N12.4 billion.
“Another contractor, Aldove Ltd., signed a contract of N2.3 billion to build 300 housing units at GRA, Onitsha.
“Government is also financing another firm, Affordable Building Concepts, to build 10, 000 low-cost and middle-class housing units for civil servants at the cost of N119.7 billion,” the commissioner said.
He said foreign exchange challenge and the current economic recession were delaying the delivery of 20, 000 housing units in the state.
Offor said the recession was delaying the project as well as other infrastructural development initiatives being embarked upon by the governor.
“The challenge we had was that at the time some of these investors were about to commence work, the country started having the dollar issue which had continued till date.
“The money they initially brought was devalued but we are hoping that as soon as the dollar issue stabilises, work will resume fully on the sites,” the commissioner said.
Many civil servants in the state commute from Enugu and Asaba to the state daily.