Abia Set For Affordable Housing Projects

The Abia State government is set to collaborate with the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) on providing affordable housing options for its residents. This development was made known during a courtesy visit by Mr. Oyetunde Ojo, the Managing Director of FHA, to Governor Alex Otti in Nvosi, Abia State.

Mr. Ojo underscored the importance of housing, emphasizing the FHA’s commitment to providing affordable housing solutions across Nigeria, aligning with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He highlighted the need for housing that reflects local needs and preferences. He stated, “Research has shown a serious deficiency in the availability of affordable housing for the citizens and the Federal Government has been making efforts to address this issue.

“We don’t just want to take land from you, rather we want to sit down with you and redesign together the kind of housing that will be in line with the needs and preferences of the people of Abia.

“In our society today with decreasing deflation, however, the provision of infrastructure and affordable housing will be an effective strategy for enhancing deflation.

“The Federal Housing Authority has come to ensure that state governments would be actively involved in the execution of federal housing schemes in their states.”

Mr. Ojo introduced a “city within a city” concept aimed at providing affordable housing for the Abia diaspora population.

“We can say that this authority is focused on building something called ‘a city in a city’ basically meant to make affordable housing available for people in the diaspora.

“We want to synergize with the Diaspora Commission, Tourism, and the Abia Government to execute this project so that people outside could buy this property. We are going on digitalization whereby Abia people abroad can buy a property in their state from their phone.

Mr. Ojo stressed the significance of community involvement. He stated, “Executing housing schemes without participatory involvement of the people would not adequately solve the problem so the authorities would require the active involvement of the people of the state in achieving its goals.

“To further achieve our goals, the housing project would be handled by local contractors in the state to ensure that the project does not fail,” he added.

Governor Otti expressed his appreciation for the Federal Government’s initiative. He revealed plans for a similar state-led housing program targeting affordable housing for Abia residents, particularly the diaspora population. He mentioned a designated location, “Diaspora Village,” for this project.

“Our agenda for evolving the ‘Diaspora Village’ project and provision of affordable housing align perfectly with the agency’s vision.”

Governor Otti commended the FHA’s commitment to using local contractors for the project, a move he believes promotes transparency and avoids past political biases.

“We are very much open to partnering with the federal government on increasing affordable housing for the citizens,” he added.