Minister seeks partnership to address housing deficit in FCT

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT)  Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello,  has called for partnership with estate developers to address the  housing deficit in the territory. Bello made the call while  unveiling a high-end estate at Durumi District on Saturday in Abuja.

The minister was represented at the occasion by the Federal Capital Development Agency ( FCDA) Executive Secretary, Umar Jibrin. He reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring the provision of adequate houses  for  residents of the  FCT.

“The FCT administration sees this project as a partnership gesture and a demonstration of confidence in the present administration which is working to address the housing deficit in the territory.

“This is in order to attract foreign direct investment into the sector,’’ he said.According to him, this administration’s policy of partnership with genuine estate developers will continue to receive priority.

Bello said that his administration was putting measures in place to ensure that past infractions that hindered the faithful execution of the mass housing policy by successive FCT administrations were eliminated.

This, he stressed, was with a view to ensuring strict adherence to laid down guidelines and guaranteeing the successful implementation of these laudable policies.

Earlier, the Chairman, Crown Realties Plc, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, drew attention to the high profile of the company, saying it had been engaged  in other developmental projects  in Lagos.

“Our Crown Estate in Lekki, Lagos,  is still one of the largest private community estates in the Lekki Peninsula with more than 1,000 family units built in the early 90s and still occupying  a pride of place today,” he said.

The Managing Director, Crown Realties Plc, Mr Darl Uzu,  presented the estate situated in a 5.97 hectares luxury residential area opposite American International School, Durumi.

He said that the estate  involves 81 blocks of family detached units of four bedrooms each.

The estate, he added,  boasts of 24 hours  power supply as well as technology-driven security and communication systems.

Also speaking at the occasion,  Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe,  noted that the continued investment of persons of South East extraction outside their geopolitical zone eloquently demonstrated their abiding faith in the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria.

Abaribe called on the people of  the South East Zone  to remain committed to the development of the country,  saying, “we are going nowhere.