FG orders suspension of work on national housing programme site in Ekiti

The Federal Government on Thursday ordered the suspension of work on the National Housing Scheme, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, gave the ordered when he visited Ado-Ekiti on inspection of Federal Government projects in the state.

He expressed dissatisfaction over the terrain, accessibility and the remote location of the project site.

The minister blamed the Federal Controller of Housing in the state for failing to brief the ministry properly before starting work on the project.

“If I give you a house or relocate your office to this place, will you like it?

“Since you will not like it, why then did you choose to build for Nigerians here?

“After today, let every work on this site be suspended for us to take stock of what has been done,’’ Fashola said.

According to him, the decision of the ministry on whether to approach the state government for a better location or continue with the project will depend on the outcome of the stock taking.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti, who accompanied Fashola to the project site, said he was not informed before work started on the project.

The project, under the National Housing Programme in Ekiti, comprised of 24 units of two bedroom flats, 16 units of three bedroom flats and six units of one bedroom flats.

ALSO READ: Gov Ambode blames Fashola's office for frustrating efforts to beautify Lagos

It was gathered that 12 different contractors are handling various aspect of works at the project site.

NAN also reports that in an effort to provide affordable houses to Nigerians, the Federal Government in February announced plan to construct 5,000 units of houses in each state over the next three years.

The project, according to the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Shehuri who spoke in Jalingo, Taraba, the scheme would be financed by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).