In fulfilment of his administration’s commitment to building 2,500 houses in four years, Governor Dapo Abiodun recently commissioned another housing unit in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
It was an outpouring of emotions and excitement last Thursday as Governor Dapo Abiodun commissioned 130 affordable housing units at Kemta, Idi Aba, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The housing project, christened Prince Court Estate, is the first phase of the 300 detached and semi-detached two and three-bedroom structures. The well-appointed estate comes with every amenity that makes life and living comfortable and convenient like a tarred road, water supply, drainage system, security and power supply.
Governor Abiodun disclosed that the second phase of the 300 housing units would commence in the next few weeks which, according to him, will be over 10 per cent of housing units targeted in four years. He noted that the completion of the Prince Court Estate is an attestation of his administration’s commitment to infrastructure development in general and the provision of decent shelter.
According to Governor Abiodun, the project is the first in a series of housing estates being undertaken by his administration across the state while reiterating his promise that 2,500 houses will be provided in four years. Indeed, it would be recalled that at his inauguration in May 2019, Governor Abiodun said, “Our government understands the importance of housing as a major social need of our people. We intend to work with the private sector and financial institutions in the deployment of affordable homes and ensuring availability of mortgages for prospective homeowners.”
This, the governor said, is because shelter as a basic human need has continued to be one of the most expensive assets to own by individuals while affirming that his government would harness every resource to reduce poverty and provide affordable shelter for the people of Ogun State.
He said housing projects were commenced simultaneously in the state through the Ogun State Housing Corporation, Ministry of Housing and the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) to be able to deliver the targeted number of houses. ‘This is part of our deliberate approach to ensure that Abeokuta, the capital city of Ogun State has befitting infrastructure and amenities that will make it stand out like a capital city amongst its peers, not only in Nigeria but throughout Africa. And that, we are doing in collaboration with the United Kingdom’s Future Cities Project,’ Governor Abiodun stated.
The governor disclosed that the cost of the houses would be subsidised and special discounts would be given to public servants as an incentive to serve as a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to their welfare and wellbeing, adding that the Gateway Mortgage Bank has been directed to provide the much-needed mortgage for subscribers of the housing units.
“Our government is determined to provide 2,500 housing units across the state in our first term. This is the figure in the air. This figure is more than all the housing units that all the successive administrations have provided since the creation of our dear state. We have gone mid-way into actualising that. A visit to Kobape, Ijebu-Ode, Sagamu, Ilaro and Ota will convince Doubting Thomases of our strength of resolve. With your support and prayers, we will deliver them all. And seeing our zeal, the federal government has also expressed the desire to complement our efforts to reduce the housing deficit in the state by providing 10,000 units of Social Housing Scheme. We are providing the land.
“In our anticipation to deliver on our promises to the people of Ogun State, we commenced work simultaneously through our three major Housing Agencies; the Ogun State Housing Corporation, Ministry of Housing and the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC). Our motive is to provide housing facilities in all the three Senatorial Districts of the state as part of our infrastructural development programme. In most cases, we site the flagship of these projects in Abeokuta to give the city the true status of a state capital.
“To actualise this, I approved 450-housing units of Residential Estate, tagged “Prince Court”. The first phase of 130 housing units is here at Kemta, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta and in the Ogun Central Senatorial District. We completed this within our first 100 days and we have since allocated them to respective allotted,” Governor Abiodun stated.
The governor added that work has commenced on the reconstruction of Kemta-Ilugun-Somorin Road to take full advantage of the housing estate, emphasising that the road will also serve as another bypass to the ever-busy Camp-Obantoko-Asero Road. He promised that the road will be completed within 12 months.
Governor Abiodun, who called for the support and prayers of the people of Ogun, urged the beneficiaries of the new estate to make it a model for others in terms of cleanliness, peaceful coexistence, community development participation and responsible citizenship. He equally enjoined people in the state to reduce the personal burden for homeownership by utilising the mortgage services available at Gateway Savings and Loans Limited.
Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for Housing, Jamiu Omoniyi, said the affordable housing estate was built in 92 days and engaged 5,040 direct labourers drawn from the locality.
