FG, cement manufacturers agree on discount for social housing units

As part of efforts to ensure the success of the Social Housing scheme where 300,000 houses will be constructed under the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), for low income earning Nigerians, Cement manufacturers have agreed with the Federal Government to charge discount price.

Disclosing over the weekend while visiting the completed model houses in Dei Dei at the Federal Capital Territory, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, affirmed it is indeed possible to deliver decent and affordable accommodation that will be within the reach of many Nigerians.

Osinbajo in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Office of the Vice President, Laolu Akande, on Sunday, stated that the contributions of major cement manufacturers in the country towards the success of the programme.

According to him, “they have agreed to give cement for this project at a considerable discount which is a very helpful thing to do and we commend and thank them for the contributions they are making, it is a very patriotic thing on their part. They also see the importance of this Mass Housing Programme.”

After seeing the prototypes of the one-bedroom and two-bedroom bungalows, Prof. Osinbajo expressed satisfaction with the quality of the design and the fact that the houses are very affordable.

The Vice President noted that “on the average, anybody who is earning N30,000 a month and is ready to spend a third of that amount, will be able to afford one of these houses, that is the plan. What I have seen so far, there is a one-bedroom unit and there is a two-bedroom unit, both coming under N2 million.

“I think that this is a very good thing indeed. And a point has been made that it is possible to build good, decent accommodation that isn’t out of the reach of practically everyone.”

Commenting on the implementation of the scheme across the country, the Vice President assured that the Mass Housing Programme will be provided across the country.

Prof. Osinbajo said, “we are hoping that we will be able to replicate this not just in Abuja but all over the country. So far, the Family Homes Fund is in 11 States, and they have given up land for the project.

“We are hoping that this year, we will be able to very rapidly improve the scale and speed of putting these houses in place. Once we can get moving quickly, we think we can make available several thousands of houses across the country and more people can afford to live in such houses.”