Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra on Saturday inaugurated Housing Estate under the National affordable housing delivery programme for Nigerian workers.
The estate was jointly funded by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigerian Employees Consultative Association (NECA).
Soludo performed the inauguration in Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi Local Government Area of the state.
The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Ernest Ezeajughi, said that the issue of housing was the cardinal point of the state government.
The governor noted that housing was the most important thing to the society.
According to him, apart from the civil servants, we still look for housing for others; we provide land and other infrastructure for the housing process.
“We encourage banks and other mortgage providers to provide leisure places like amusement parks.
“You should also look for cheap items for housing project to enable civil servants to afford the cost of the housing scheme, ” he said.
Earlier, the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero, stressed the need for civil servants to procure the housing scheme at affordable price, adding that their present salary would not go for such costly price.
“I doubt if those civil servants who earn N30,000 minimum wage will benefit from the housing scheme. It is only those of them at director level that can afford the cost.
“At a minimum wage of N30,000 per month means in 35 years which is retirement age he will get N12.6million.
“So it’s difficult for him or her to benefit from the housing scheme,” he stressed.
In his contribution, the Managing Director of Master Holdings Nigeria Limited, Mr Anayo Nwandu, who was represented by Kingsley Chukwuma, stated that Anambra should earmark land for housing estate at affordable price for civil servants. (NAN)
