Group set to provide 5,000 affordable houses for low income earners in Rivers

A group known as Global Centre for Empowerment and Care for Life Challenges has disclosed its readiness to provide 5,000 housing units in Rivers State to reduce the suffering of the masses.

The group added that it would do this through the promotion of advocacy and creating beneficial interest for the general public towards housing and industrial development in line with the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDG) 9 and 11.

Vincent Agbo, the National President of the group, made the remark at a press conference in Port Harcourt where he maintained that the purpose of the project was to provide decent and low-cost housing units to meet the needs of the people irrespective of their age and class.

He explained that the vision of the organization was geared towards enhancing and encouraging proto-type housing and industrial development that will spread across the 36 states of the federation, noting that the project will be beautiful, comprehensive and all-inclusive when completed.

Agbo who is also a clergyman stated that the project would use available technology and science in designing the houses that will be comparable to others globally. He expressed optimism that state governors of each of the states will be critical stakeholders in providing land and other essential elements for the success of the project, saying that both the local and international partners and financiers are standing by to kick off the project after all necessary arrangements have been concluded.

The group in collaboration with the United Nations, through the SDG expresses concern that such a wonderful window of opportunity should be utilized by all stakeholders, government agencies, and individual, national and international investors to bridge the gap in the housing sector so that those who are of the working class could have affordable houses.

Shitu Salami said the housing units when built will reduce the number of those who are still tenants, hoping that after this project many will be landlords. “We are not here to make money but to help you ‘ he stated.” We are to make you grow and develop yourself and make money,” he explained.

Agbo told journalists that the basic human needs are food, clothing and housing but noted that affordable housing is the most important thing among all others, hence they are in Rivers State to solve the housing challenge.

“This is a welcome development to the state and we want to make it a reality,” he said. He said the project will run through a Public, Private, Partnership (PPP) with a mortgage payment plan, especially for those who are working class.

Larry Goodwill Ajiola, who is the spokesperson of the group, said the common man will benefit from these housing units through instalment payments with the span of 10- 30 years for the working class. He stressed that since the houses will be affordable, their idea is not commercially driven but to help humanity.