By Oghenekevwe Laba
LAGOS JULY 19TH (URHOBOTODAY)-In attempts to provide affordable houses across the nation as part of his administration commitment towards the provision of housing for all and sundry, President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed that the Federal Government intend to secure $300m World Bank loans towards the provision of housing across the country.
.The President who made the pronouncement while commissioning 200 housing units of three-bedroom flats of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) buildings at Idimu, Lagos, on Friday named after him, said the Federal Government through the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMB) was planning to secure $300 million World Bank loans towards the provision of housing across the country, adding that the Federal Mortgage Bank had been restructured to meet provision of mass housing..
He, however, enjoined all government agencies to partner with the private sector in the provision of housing scheme in order to guarantee the welfare and productivity of the citizenry.
Speaking on the dilapidated police colleges spread across the country, President Jonathan pledged to replicate what his administration had done to give face-lift to Ikeja Police College, stressing that he was poised to ensure a fully functional and motivated training schools for trainees to live and train in a decent environment.
Aside the deplorable conditions of police barracks, Jonathan said he was aware of what that the personnel of the armed forces are going through in term of housing, but enjoined stakeholders to give their support towards the provision of decent accommodations to all officers and men.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, in his remarks, expressed appreciation to Mr President, despite the competing demands of funding in the country, saying the projects took his management team eight months to complete.
Each of the 200 housing units of three-bedroom flats, the Police Boss said, would go for a whooping sum of N8 million for the personnel of the force, irrespective of their ranks, which would have to be paid through a scheme being handled by the Federal Mortgage Bank..
Abubakar, however, appealed to the Federal government for aggressive intervention with a view to ameliorating the living conditions of the personnel.
Those in attendance include the Minister for trade, investment and industry, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, Monarch of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Sa’aad Ola Ibrahim, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Alex Badeh and a host of others.