Professionals in the nation’s housing and construction sub-sector have tasked the federal government to stand strong and tackle the challenges posed by inadequate housing.
They noted recently in Lagos that vibrant government policies in the sector could bring about desired changes when meticulously implemented.
They identified paucity of funds, non –availability of land and building materials as constraints to housing development in the country.
According to the President Nigerian Institute of Building and President, Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Chucks Omeife, there was urgent need to encourage the use of other building materials in building.
“The government must put in place workable policy, which will endorse usage of particular alternative building materials. I know that Nigerians are men and women of high quality and taste and this has been a bane too.
Until government takes pragmatic action on mass housing as regards to alternative building materials, the issue of mass and affordable housing will be difficult to come by.
“Some of the materials are available and economically viable, yet because of lack of government’s backing such materials are not patronised. Almost all Nigerians still go for conventional structure.
For instance, a house could be built with laterite and the thing will remain very strong.
“This reminds me of some building produced with laterite somewhere around Yaba, Lagos.
These buildings are very nice and comfortable. It is a pity that after those structures, there was no follow-up on it.
So, government must support the use of other available building materials in affordable housing.”
Omeife lamented that most of the estates springing up in the country at the moment, were too expensive, noting that Nigerians were naturally used to building and living in gigantic and bogus houses.
“Go to Singapore, you’ll see portable houses that are economically sustainable and functional.
When you see such homes, you start asking yourself how they were able to get this done.
“But in Nigeria, have we really sat down to ask ourselves on our needs particularly housing, its type and make for whom.
These are fundamental to development. Everybody needs three -bedroom flat but do we really need all the spaces as bachelors,?” he queried.
He noted that many policy papers presented to the government on how to solve the problem of housing merely ended up in the trash can.
His words: “Take the issue of National Building Code for instance, it has been in the House of Assembly for how many years now? Will anybody not agree that passing this law will further enhance Nigeria’s prosperity?
“It is painful that many policy papers have been delivered in this country but the question remains, how many of them has the government made use of? Regrettably, many have ended in the trash can.”
The Managing Partner of Akin Olawore & Company, Akin Olawore, who is also worried about the situation, said provision of mass housing by the government would go a long way to ameliorating the suffering of the common man.
The Estate Surveyor and Valuers noted that unless government engages in the provision of mass housing for its citizenry, the hope of the down-trodden to have a roof over his head would continue to be a mirage.
Lamenting about rising cost of home delivery he said if the enabling environment were put in place by the government cost of house production would drastically fall.
He said the issue of mass housing was germane to the realisation of the socio-economic development of the individual.
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