Housing deficit: NUJ chairman urges incoming administration to evolve workable policies

By Akeem Abas

A media professional, Chief Ademola Babalola, has urged the incoming government of Sen. Bola Tinubu to evolve workable policies toward addressing the housing deficit and drive economic growth in the country.

Babalola, also the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, made the plea at the fourth anniversary Dinner/Award Night of Kemsan Acres Global Limited in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event featured presentation of awards to no fewer than 70 outstanding members of the company.

Babalola called on the incoming government to invest more in the housing sector for economic growth and prosperity.

He said that Tinubu administration, on assumption of office, should evolve workable policies that would allow Nigerian masses to have shelter of their own.

“Nigerians, especially those on the lower cadre of civil and public service are struggling in terms of housing as well as downtrodden members of the society.

“The incoming administration must evolve workable policies that will allow the masses to have shelters of their own and should pump more money into the Federal Mortgage Bank.

“With this, bank will be able to dispense more money to Nigerian workers. Doing so will allow more people to build houses and live meaningful life,” the NUJ chairman said.

He urged the government to look into the mission and vision of individuals as well as companies in the real estate business to weed out the bad eggs.

“We also have a number of good Nigerians, who are into the real estate business, who have been impacting well on the masses of this country.

“Government should streamline their workings to ensure that no Nigerian falls victim of the bad eggs in the real estate business,” Babalola advised.

Earlier, Mr Oluwaseun Owoseni, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Kemsan Acres Global Ltd., in Ibadan, said that vision and mission of the company was to address housing deficit in Nigeria.

“Our recommendation in solving the housing deficit we have in Nigeria now is just that, government be it Federal and State, must ensure they provide basic amenities for real estate developers.

“Such as good road networks, drainage system, electricity and so on.These will enable us to enlarge our coast in the real estate business.

“With this, we can go to the rural areas to convert them to habitable urban settlement,” Owoseni said.

He said that the incoming administration must prioritise the closing of the housing gap and maximise the potential of the real estate sector.

The company chief executive urged government to see the real estate sector as a means to deliver prosperity and a key for driving economic growth.

Commenting on the award given to outstanding staff members, he said that it was a way of commending them for their excellent job done in ensuring the growth of the company.

Among the awards gifted were two cars to the best two staff of the year and all- expenses paid vacation to Kigali, Rwanda for two outstanding staff alongside a stakeholder of the firm.

Others were cash of N500,000 to the outstanding Branch Manager of the year and lots of other gifts ranging from generating set, air conditioner, refrigerator to gas cooker.

(NAN)