FG begins construction of low-cost houses in Ibadan

The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has commenced the construction of low and medium cost houses in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The buildings will sit on 1000 hectares of land set aside as Ajoda New Town along Ibadan-Ife expressway. The cheapest flat in the estate will cost a little over N4million according to a building partner Dr Mike Anjorin.

In a chat with The Nation after a familiarization tour of the project yesterday, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FHA, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, said the housing scheme was aimed at providing affordable houses for Nigerians as part of the promise of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Ashafa, who was accompanied by some FHA directors, said the builders were doing due diligence before erecting the buildings in line with the standards of FHA. He described Ajoda New Town project as a “work-in-progress,” pointing out that the estate is open to all Nigerians regardless of wherever they live.

He said: “ What the Federal Government through the National Housing Scheme (NHS) has done is to get some Nigerian developers to put in their expression of interest. We gave them the land to build. With that, we became partners. And then through the quantities, they determine the terrain of the land. They have said that there are some portions of the land which used to be dump sites. This shows the thoroughness of our approach. When we are about to undertake a project, we do the needful by looking at the soil type. Our engineers will design. In this case, the houses built so far have reinforced foundation.

“We are partnering the Oyo State Government. We have requested the governor to please intervene in the area of the major road in the community. If it is expanded and tarred it will open up the estate. The road will also extend to the police formation.