By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
The Federal Government, on Tuesday performed the groundbreaking for the construction of 250 units of Renewed Hope Housing Estate in Osogbo, Osun State capital.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, who performed the groundbreaking alongside, Governor Ademola Adeleke tasked the contractors on quality work according to specifications.
Dangiwa while speaking at the ceremony which took place at Okepupa Abere, Off Gbongan/Osogbo Road, Behind State Secretariat/Christians Pilgrims Board, Okepupa charge the developers, of Renewed Hope Estate, Messrs Muluda Nigeria Limited and Messrs Ful Fledged Consult Nigeria Limited to ensure completion of the project within three months.
He described the groundbreaking ceremony of the housing units as a continuation of the nationwide groundbreaking exercise for housing projects under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which President Tinubu launched in February with the commissioning of a 3,112-housing unit in Karsana, Abuja.
The Minister, who performed the ceremony on behalf of the President warned the developers to be committed to delivering quality work based on contractual terms to ensure durability, stating that he will not tolerate substandard work.
Dangiwa said: “We also want the developers to adhere to the timeline and finish within three months so that we can begin the process of getting Osun indigenes to purchase and move in.
“To ensure affordability, we have created different options to enable everyone who has a source of income and livelihood to own these homes when they are completed. These include single-digit mortgage loans that beneficiaries can repay over 30 years, rent-to-own schemes provided by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, and outright purchase options for those who can afford to pay upfront.
“Statistics show that the construction of one housing unit creates an average of 25 direct and indirect jobs. So, for these 250 housing units in Osun, we hope to create jobs for over 6,500 people in various trades, from professionals like architects, civil engineers, and mechanical engineers to masons, plumbers, tilers, electricians, and laborers. We have seen unskilled workers at other project sites earning as much as N35,000 per week, at an average of N5,000 per day. This amounts to about N140,000 per month.
“This is in addition to the economic activities, including those selling food, supplying blocks, and providing building materials. The value chain effect of construction work on this site is significant and creates a positive economic impact.
“I want to state that under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, we at the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development are very particular about giving Nigerians value for money.
“We are diligently funding these projects from the N50 billion 2023 Supplementary Budget that Mr. President approved for the Ministry to ensure sustainability, quality, and geographic spread.
“It is important to say that the provision of land in a good location and at no cost is a key condition for siting Renewed Hope Housing Projects.
“The twelve states covered under this 2023 supplementary budget are those that first provided land. I want to assure that states that have not been covered will be included in the Ministry’s 2024 Budget on a first-come, first-served basis, on the condition that they provide land at no cost to enhance affordability.
He commended the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, for promptly granting the request for the provision of land at no cost, stating that this singular action has helped to reduce as much as 30 per cent of the cost of the units in the estate for the benefit of potential homeowners.
According to him, the ceremony is a continuation of the nationwide groundbreaking exercises for housing projects under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, stating that under phase one of the programme, the Federal Government planned to deliver a total of 50,000 housing units across the country.
“This includes 7 Renewed Hope Cities that will have between 500 and 1,000 housing units per site in each of the six geopolitical zones in the country and the FCT, while the estates will have 250 units per site in the remaining thirty (30) states.
”With this housing programme, we plan to unlock the massive potential of housing development to create jobs, uplift lives, and boost economic development,” he said.
Speaking, Governor Ademola Adeleke who was represented by his deputy Prince, Prince Kola Adewusi appreciated the president for counting the state worthy, saying the state government would foster all the necessary support to ensure the successful completion of the project.
Adeleke, therefore charged the contractors to deliver within the stipulated time and ensure quality job.
Earlier, the lawmaker representing Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives Hon Lanre Oladebo, expressed gratitude to the president, just as he thanked the governor for approving the land at no cost.
Oladebo, who is the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Housing and Habitat expressed his delight for having such a project in Osun during his time. He therefore charged the contractors on quality job delivery.