Housing sector professionals under the aegis of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NISEV), have canvassed Public Private Partnership (PPP) model in housing development as catalyst for job creation and economic fortification.
The estate surveyors who made their case during a Road Show that took them to the office of the Lagos State governor as part of activities marking this year’s United Nations World Habitat Day, presented to the governor their ‘Roadmap to Housing for All’—a compendium of communiqués of the institution’s annual national housing summits.
The United Nations has set aside the first Monday of every October, essentially, to draw global attention to the state of housing in towns, cities and communities as well as on the basic right of all to adequate shelter.
Rowland Abonta, the president of NIESV, said the annual NIESV Housing Summit has contributed immensely to the national housing discourse, by awakening the consciousness of the government and general public to the all-important aspect of housing to national life.
The annual summit, he said, served as a key machinery for driving the vision and priorities of NIESV as a professional association, and also to serve as the window to the nation and the world in offering advocacy on housing, creating awareness through sensitization of government and the general public on the importance of affordable housing delivery.
Represented by Chika Okafor, chairman NIESV Housing Faculty, Abonta opined that the NIESV presented some recommendations as actionable strategies for all tiers of government to make affordable housing available to all citizens of Nigeria.
The institution, in its eight (8) point recommendations, has urged government to be more committed to affordable housing delivery as its core social responsibility to all Nigerians by utilising housing as a catalyst for economic development.
“Housing should also be used for arresting urban decay through effective delivery strategies,” the president said, advising that the government should engage professionals in the housing delivery value chain such as the estate surveyors and valuers.
He advise further that government should reduce housing cost through modern techniques and construction materials; build a robust mortgage system with single digit interest rate regime and tame crime challenges through city regeneration.
Emma Okas Wike, the first vice president of NIESV, said professionals in the built environment were willing to explore collaborations and constructive engagements with government, stakeholders and key industry players.
“We are ready to promote perspectives on housing delivery, housing finance, housing models and housing affordability within a conducive and congenial framework that facilitates progress in the housing industry and its delivery process,” he assured.
According to him, NIESV is to provide a forum and knowledge centre for capacity building towards professionalism and specialization in the core area of housing, especially among students of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
“We can encourage research into the varying, broad ramifications of housing as a generic core subject/curriculum of national importance,” he said.
