Infrastructure key to addressing housing challenge – NIESV

The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), has advised the government to develop relevant infrastructure in order to resolve housing challenges facing the country.

Mr Emmanuel Alao, the Chairman, NIESV, Abuja Branch, gave the advice on Tuesday, saying the provision of infrastructure would help to open up new housing locations as well as encourage individuals and corporate organisations to execute housing projects in such environments.

“Government should ensure that there is an enabling environment for housing development to thrive through the provision of adequate infrastructure.

“Once infrastructure opens up various areas, development will come up. It becomes a problem for developers when there are no access roads to reach such houses.

“When infrastructure is lacking, people are discouraged and it ties down capital because areas that do not have infrastructure tend to be a pocket of bush in the city.’’

The NIESV chairman also called for a review in the operations of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria to ease some of the conditions applicants are expected to fulfill.

He, therefore, suggested that the mortgage system should be overhauled to bring it in line with what is obtainable in developed nations to enable Nigerians have easy access to funds to address their housing needs.

“We also want the government to ensure that there is proper system of mortgage arrangement in Nigeria. The mortgage system being run by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria is exclusive instead of being inclusive to carry along the low income earners.  The mortgage system in the country is too cumbersome and difficult to access, especially the way it is operated in Abuja.

“We should borrow some lessons from the developed world where housing development thrives because there is proper and accessible mortgage arrangement on ground. But in Nigeria, the conditions are too cumbersome and difficult to meet by the masses who are most affected by the housing deficit and this cannot facilitate housing development.

“It’s not as if mortgage bank is not working but there should be good structure on ground to facilitate the good workability of that system.’’

The chairman further pledged the institution’s commitment to work with all infrastructure-related agencies “inasmuch as our professional and objective advice is not ignored’’, he said.