Nigerians must live in decent houses – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday vowed to ensure that all Nigerians lived in decent houses. The President spoke at the inauguration of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria’s Aviation Village and the National Housing Fund electronic card in Abuja. According to him, the Aviation Village, which comprises 270 housing units, was developed for Nigerians under the Mass Housing Scheme. “It is a successful policy and that is why I am here. Housing is something that all of us will be totally committed to because it is an opportunity to create jobs for Nigerians and all Nigerians must live in decent houses,” the President said. Jonathan, while reacting to a statement made by the President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Adulwaheed Omar, said the Federal Government had laid down workable and sustainable policies. He said, “When my comrade president mentioned that his friend was worried that Mr. President was coming to inaugurate an estate of only 270 housing units, in fact, as he was saying it I laughed because a number of people don’t know that what makes changes is not the big things we do but the little things we do and do very well. “What will transform this country is that the policies are workable and sustainable. So, it is not going to be one mega city and the inauguration of a housing estate of thousands of units that will transform a country, but your ability to recreate and replicate these small units across the country. “I will always advise real estate developers not to begin to think about money for 10,000 or 20,000 units, but small estates that you can manage so that when people come there, they will know that they are in a place where human beings will live and not where human beings will compete for space with rats and cockroaches.” The President noted that the housing sector played critical roles in economic empowerment, job creation and wealth generation. He said improving the living standards of Nigerians was a cardinal objective of his administration. Jonathan said his administration had strengthened the collaboration between the federal and state governments in order to reduce the time and cost of property transactions. According to him, the government is facilitating access to affordable and long-term financing as well as creating enabling environment through appropriate policies. He outlined some of the policies employed by the government as the National Policy on Housing and the National Policy on Urban Development, which were approved in June 2012. President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday vowed to ensure that all Nigerians lived in decent houses. The President spoke at the inauguration of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria’s Aviation Village and the National Housing Fund electronic card in Abuja. According to him, the Aviation Village, which comprises 270 housing units, was developed for Nigerians under the Mass Housing Scheme. “It is a successful policy and that is why I am here. Housing is something that all of us will be totally committed to because it is an opportunity to create jobs for Nigerians and all Nigerians must live in decent houses,” the President said. Jonathan, while reacting to a statement made by the President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Adulwaheed Omar, said the Federal Government had laid down workable and sustainable policies. He said, “When my comrade president mentioned that his friend was worried that Mr. President was coming to inaugurate an estate of only 270 housing units, in fact, as he was saying it I laughed because a number of people don’t know that what makes changes is not the big things we do but the little things we do and do very well. “What will transform this country is that the policies are workable and sustainable. So, it is not going to be one mega city and the inauguration of a housing estate of thousands of units that will transform a country, but your ability to recreate and replicate these small units across the country. “I will always advise real estate developers not to begin to think about money for 10,000 or 20,000 units, but small estates that you can manage so that when people come there, they will know that they are in a place where human beings will live and not where human beings will compete for space with rats and cockroaches.” The President noted that the housing sector played critical roles in economic empowerment, job creation and wealth generation. He said improving the living standards of Nigerians was a cardinal objective of his administration. Jonathan said his administration had strengthened the collaboration between the federal and state governments in order to reduce the time and cost of property transactions. According to him, the government is facilitating access to affordable and long-term financing as well as creating enabling environment through appropriate policies. He outlined some of the policies employed by the government as the National Policy on Housing and the National Policy on Urban Development, which were approved in June 2012.