The FCT Administration is ready to go into partnership with the Federal Mortgage Bank to develop low-income houses for low-income workers in the Federal Capital Territory.
FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello gave this assurance Wednesday while receiving a delegation of the Federal Mortgage Bank led by its Acting Managing Director, Mr. Richard Esien that paid him a working visit in his office at Area 11, Garki I District, Abuja.
However, the Minister made case for the consideration of FCT Administration workers first; observing that the Administration has the highest number of employees in the Federal Capital Territory.
Bello remarked that there are so many big houses built in Abuja that are unoccupied because of the exorbitant rent charged by landlords.
According to him, “what we need today in Abuja are low income houses which low income earners can afford and that is what my Administration would further encourage to take care of the less privileged people in the society”.
The Minister emphasized that his Administration is prepared to enhance the relationship between the FCT Administration and the Federal Mortgage Bank for the mutual benefit of the two organizations, therefore the staff of the FCT Administration will have to be considered first.
“We have too many highbrow houses in Abuja which have remained vacant despite the housing deficit the workers are experiencing in the city,” he stressed.
While decrying a situation where estates were built in the past without provision of recreational facilities, children play ground as well as conversion of green areas to build houses, he directed that henceforth, all new estates must make provision for such essential facilities.
The Minister also directed that a green area be made available for the Federal Mortgage Bank to develop into a befitting Public Park for usage at weekends by the residents free of charge; adding that such gesture should be the Bank’s corporate social responsibility to the immediate society it is operating in.
Speaking earlier, the Acting Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank, Mr. Richard Esien sought for plots of land to deliver houses to Nigerians in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s mandate of 5,000 houses yearly.
He noted that it is only Bwari Area Council out of the six Area Councils in the FCT that has complied with the FMBN Act of contributing two and half percent of all workers earning and therefore appealed to the Minister to prevail on the remaining five Area Councils to make their contributions according to the law.
The FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye and other officials of the FCT Administration joined the Minister to receive the Bank’s delegation.
