The Federal Government plans to construct 100 social homes nationwide in each of the 774 local governments to provide affordable housing for low-income and underprivileged citizens.
This initiative is under the National Social Housing Act and is separate from the plan to build 34,000 homes nationwide in selected cities and state capitals.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, revealed this information during a visit from the National Association of Directors of Local Government Departments of Works, Housing, Transport, and Environment.
The program collaborates with local government departments to achieve slum upgrading and urban renewal in selected states.
Through this initiative, Dangiwa emphasized the importance of providing decent and affordable accommodations for underprivileged citizens.
“Through this programme, we are upgrading communities deemed unfit for human habitation by all standards and transforming them into decent, liveable communities.
We will provide infrastructure like roads, water, sanitation, and other amenities.
“This means we will need the support and collaboration of your members in these places to make our work easy,” he asserted.
According to the minister, the directors and heads of departments of works, housing, transport, and environment have an important role to play in driving policies at the local government levels.
On requests made by the association for involvement in development matters, policies and projects that were crucial to the welfare of the localities, Dangiwa assured them that the ministry would invite them for its subsequent annual council meetings as observers as well as encourage agencies under the ministry to collaborate with them on housing delivery.
Earlier in his remarks, the association's national president told the minister that the study and advocacy visit provided them with the opportunity to commend the developmental efforts of the ministry.