By Onu Charity Onyinye,
Some organisations in the housing sector have stressed the vital need to collaborate among themselves in providing affordable houses to members of the public.
They made the expression at the occasion of Developers forum held in Enugu recently, involving AGMB, COPEN group and Enugu State Housing Coperation. They agreed to get all the players among the chains which includes property rights, land, development finance, infrastructure service, construction industry and End user finners to work together.
Speaking at the event,The managing director AG mortgage bank plc, Mr Chris Ibuzo, stated that the language is collaboration on how to link up as a chain to develop affordable houses. He noted that there are people who knows about infrastructure, finance, land and property rights than himself, because of this, there is need to work together to achieve uptimun results with those involved in the sector.
He stressed that there are houses that are affordable but not giveable while some are giveable but not affordable. He pointed out property rights, which he said that without it, there will be no investment adding “this forum is challenging the lawyer’s/legislators to speak on the administrative property rights, so that people can invest.
“Moreover that where you have strong property rights institutionalized, it helps the people to invest.”
In addition, he said that there should be improvement in the procedure of land registration by the government. Stressing that government is a poor manager of public land, in other words development regulations impede affordability. In the area of construction, he implored all the construction industry and developers to come together and solve the problem, in other to make sure the government reduces cost.
In his own speech, the secretary to cross river state government, Chief Barr Tina Banku Agbor hinted that finance is important, adding that mortgage financers should invite the government to convince them on the way forward by letting them know that giving out C of O and consent is Paramount and making it easy for the public.
Furthermore she said that 1978 land use act created more problems than solving any, that the government, if interested in any land owned by the people, should seek consent and bargain with the people and pay for the land, then if after acquiring the land the can then sell to individuals “Stressing that the real problem is land acquisition and the government acceptance reorganizing the fact that this land is not, or for the people.”
The managing director Alpha Mead Development, Mr Oludamola Akindolire, said that there is need to make our state an investment of choice and sit with the government, rehearse with them. As government are bad user of land, that property rights does not start and stop by law, that their is need to look beyond the law and start with the administration process by getting everything back to back.
In his own contribution, the General Manager, COPEN group, Mr Ugochukwu Chime, noted that housing has become a commodity but by collaboration everyone achieves more. He urged the stakeholders to find a way to meet with the MDA’s in other to find a way forward.
Prof Obidike Regnald Ikechukwu urged the developers to come to University of Nigeria Nsukka and discuss with the higher authorities as students are facing accommodation problems.
The General Manager Enugu State Housing Corporation Hon Chukwuemelie Agu, in his presentation, extolled the Enugu state housing coperation. He disclosed that Enugu State Housing Corporation is fully government owned but commercialized by the state, which means that they work to pay workers salaries.
After showcasing the numerous work done by Enugu State Housing Corporation under the leadership of his administration, the managing director said that His Excellency the governor advised that Enugu State Housing Corporation should pay more attention to low income earners as majority of votes came from them, and in line with that Enugu State Housing Corporation have been able to develop ten estate which majority are for low income earners.
Furthermore, there are partnership arrangements with Alpha Mead, A. G mortgage bank etc and the cooperation has done well under his leadership.The Enugu state Labour Union Chairman, Comrade Ben Asogwa, made a speech on the issue of trust, that the developers seek profits before delivery.
He pleaded that developers should try to produce results before profits and as a developer, they should tell the subscriber the whole truth. In addition to that, the developers should try to fulfill all the promises made.
He urged developers not to build with substandard materials adding “that they should not fail to let the labour union know anytime that they encounter problem with workers, so that they will intervene.”
In the closing remark, the G. M Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Chris Ibuzo, appreciated each and everyone for their compliance.
