Gov Umaru Bago of Niger, on Wednesday presented Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to the Federal Housing Authority for the commencement of the ‘Renewed Hope Housing Project’ to be constructed on a 31-hectares land in Minna.
The governor presented the C of O to Mr Oyetunde Ojo, the Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), who led a delegation to Government House in Minna.
Bago described the project as developmental and thanked the Federal Housing Authority for choosing Niger as one of the pilot States for the project in the country.
He added that, the State government under its local renewed hope housing initiative intends to build 3,000 housing units consisting of 1,000 one bedroom flats, 1,000 two bedroom flats and 1,000 three bedroom flats.
He said that the State government was working closely with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and other development partners and would always live up to expectations in terms provision of counterpart funds.
Bago said the state government would provide water, primary healthcare centres, market and other amenities, saying that the provision of sites and services were major challenges facing the provision of housing estates.
Speaking earlier, the Managing Director, FHA , Mr Ojo disclosed that the housing project would commence immediately.
He said that the FHA would work in collaboration with the state government on the project aimed providing affordable housing to predominantly citizens of the State.
He further explained that once the procurement was done, 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the contract would be awarded to indigenes of the state.
According to Ojo, the project will create job opportunities for the people of the state as residents will be involved in the building process.
He appreciated Gov. Bago for his developmental strides in agriculture and the housing sector, which he said would challenge the FHA to do their best.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor took the team to the Three Arms Zone where the Renewed Hope Housing Project would be sited.
The team also inspected the expansion project of the three arm zone housing estate initiated by former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, as well as the 50 units housing project adjacent Lawu Estate, where Bago disclosed plans to decongest the old Minna town..(NAN)
