By Roland Ike
The Federal Government of Nigeria has said that it will create 6,500 jobs for different categories of persons through the construction of 250 Housing Units–Renewed Hope Estate in Ebonyi state.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, announced this Wednesday at the ground breaking ceremony of the estate, situated at Umuezekohu community of Ezza North Local Government Area of the state.
Dangiwa said that the estate expected to be completed in three months, would create jobs for architects, civil and mechanical engineers, plumbers, masons and tilers, among others.
“This project consists of 50 units one-bedrroom semi–detached bungalows, 150 units of two-bedroom and 50 units of three-bedroom semi–detached bungalows.
“The project will also enhance economic activities such as food sales, block supplies, provision of building materials among other trades, creating an impactful value chain.”
The Minister said the ceremony commences the second leg of a nationwide groundbreaking exercise for housing projects, under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme.
“The programme was, launched in February 2024 with the inauguration of 3,112 housing units in Karsana, Abuja.
“The programme’s first phase will deliver 50,000 housing units across Nigeria which includes seven renewed hope cities with 500 —1,000 housing units per site in each geopolitical zone and the Abuja.
“The renewed hope estates will have 250 units per site in the remaining 30 states as it aims to unlock Nigeria’s massive housing development potentials.”
He noted that the ministry had embarked on the first leg of the exercise with the groundbreaking of 1,500 housing units in the northern part of the country.
“This includes 250-housing unit renewed hope estates in Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, and Sokoto, and a 500-housing unit renewed hope city in Kano.
‘This second leg will see the construction of 2,000 renewed hope housing units in states of the south and north central zones and this includes 250 housing units each commencing from Ebonyi.
“This will be followed by Abia, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Osun, Oyo, Benue, and Nasarawa states.”
He noted that the housing units had been designed to be easily acquired and affordable for people by using organic designs for future expansion as beneficiaries’s income increases.
“We have created different acquisition options which include single-digit mortgage loans repayable over 30 years, rent-to-own schemes from the Federal Mortgage Bank and outright purchase options.”
Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Mrs Patricia Obila, who represented Governor Francis Nwifuru, described the occasion as historic and commended President Tinubu for implementing the programme.
“This underscores the President’s avowed commitment to providing affordable housing to Nigerians especially the middle and low-income earners.
“The project is also significant in realising the state government ‘s objective of providing affordable housing for its citizens.
The Deputy Governor assured the Minister of adequate security for the project to ensure its timely completion and requested that at least 60 percent of indigenes of the State should benefit during its allocation.
The Chief Executive Officer of Proportion Construction Company who spoke on behalf of other developers, promised that the project would be completed within the stipulated period and also, of required standard.
