In keeping with its promise of availing young families and mid-income earners opportunity to become homeowners, the Lagos state government has handed over keys to 273 of the 443 home winners that emerged from seven draws the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (LagosHOMS) has conducted so far.
BusinessDay findings revealed that while the new homeowners have taken possession of their apartments at Shogunro scheme 1 and 2 in Ogba, Ilupeju scheme, Hon Olaitan and Adetoun Mustapha estate in Ijaiye-Ojokoro, Shitta scheme in Surulere and Iloro scheme in Agege, a total 170 winners are yet to close deals with the Lagos State Mortgage Board (LMB) to enable them take possession of their apartments.
Meanwhile, the LMB has reiterated its resolve not to rest on its achievements so far, as it has continued to explore new sites for more schemes to ensure the homeownership opportunity spreads to every part of the state.
Speaking during a recent inspection tour of some Lagos HOMS on-going project sites spread across the five divisions in Lagos, Akinola Sagoe, executive secretary, LMB, revealed that the board would soon commence a scheme at Amuwo-Odofin where 7 blocks of 84 flats of one, two and three bedroom apartments will be constructed.
Sagoe disclosed that at Ajara- Badagry, the construction of 420 units of one, two and three bedroom was on-going under the first phase while construction of 384 units will commence soon at the second phase.
He also noted that work was upbeat at the Gbagada Scheme where 72 units of one, two and three bedroom flats will be delivered in no distant time, adding that at Igando Gardens, 41 blocks of 492 units are almost ready for habitation while in Omole Phase 1, 12 units are at advanced stages of completion.
Some of the sites visited included Sangotedo in Ibeju Lekki where about 540 units of 2 and 3 bedroom flats will be delivered soon; similarly, a proposed LagosHOMS site at Lekki Phase 1 that will house 96 families in two and three bedroom flats was also inspected.
The executive secretary stressed that the inspection tour became necessary in order to fulfill governor Babatunde Fashola’s promise to deliver at least 200 homes monthly under the new Scheme.
He also applauded the governor’s initiative for jump-starting the mortgage home ownership scheme, saying other states should emulate the gesture so that housing deficit in Nigeria could be addressed.
In his remarks, Bayowa Foresythe, executive director, Shared services, noted that construction is on top gear at 23 Lagos HOMS site across including Ijora Badia, Ilubirin, Ibeshe, Iponri, Obelle-Oniwala, Mushin, Egan, Agbowa, Odo-Onosa, Magodo and Oko-Oba, adding that jobs are being created on these various construction sites.
According to him, over 134 construction companies, 459 sub-contractors, employing over 1,168 persons, seven consultancy companies, over 5,442 suppliers, artisans, labourers have been engaged in course of the scheme so far and a host of others employed in the supply chain of sand, gravel, woods and fittings as well as food vendors and transporters.
ODINAKA MBONU
