Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing says it has achieved 100 percent compliance in the implementation of local content policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria in the housing sector.
Daminabo Emmanuel Oko-Jaja, the zonal director, South-South, National Housing Programme, made the disclosure during a guided tour of 24 housing units of 12 blocks of two and three bedroom flats under the 2016 National Housing Programme located at Idumwuehigie, Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.
Oko-Jaja, who said the objective of the housing programme was to address accommodation deficit in the country, noted that the execution of the housing programme was being done on 100 percent local content.
“The programme is a Federal Government initiative, and the idea is to geared towards the achievement of 100 percent local content policy of the Federal Government. 100 percent local content in the essence that the design is done in-house by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing staff. The supervisory team is also staff of the ministry.
“Contractors are Nigerians, the contractors staff are also Nigerians, the suppliers are all Nigerians, and the materials used are all sourced locally in the country. So, it is really 100 percent local content,” he said.
He added that over 300 persons from the community had been engaged as workers in the construction of the housing project, some as sub contractors and food vendors.
The project has impacted positively on the economic well being of the people of the community as well as on the contractors, he said.
Oko-Jaja, who said the contractors handling the project would complete the project by December this year, however urged the contractors to continue with their good works both in quality and on time to be able to be considered for the next phase of the project.
Earlier, Israel Andrew Ikechukwu, federal controller in the ministry, said the housing project was for the benefit of all Nigerians.
On her part, Ebeamata Ani-Otoibhi, team leader, National Housing Programme, said the project was about 85 to 80 percent completed.
Otoibhi said the project had impacted positively on the host community, pointing out that skilled and unskilled people from the community had been engaged as labourers while commercial activities had also improved in the locality.
“There are a lot of food vendors in the site providing food for the workers because they don’t go out of the site to eat. This has improved the economic status of the people. We also have a lot of people coming daily for daily jobs. For example, like the condominium during casting of the first floor, about 40 unskilled labour will be engaged,” he said.
The head of the community, John Aghimien, commended the Federal Government for the project, noting that it had contributed to the economic development of the community, as more of the indigenes had been engaged in the construction.
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