The controversial Land Use Act, seen by many stakeholders in the housing and real estate sector, may be repealed just as Nigerians may benefit from a better, stronger and properly managed mortgage system. With these in place, Nigerians are likely to heave a sigh of relief from the accessible and affordable housing yoke ravaging the country and leaving her with a deficit of over 17 million housing units.
These were the hopes and assurances given at the weekend by the Presidential Candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), in this year’s February 16 Presidential election, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, while speaking on the state of the housing market at a Town Hall meeting organised by the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development of the University of Lagos. About five political parties, excluding the two major political parties- the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), attended the meeting.
According to Moghalu, if elected into office, his administration would initiate an aggressive policy on housing reforms, innovative approach to housing construction, reduce the costing and improving the slums by providing adequate water and sewage management systems. These policies, he explained, would begin with the repeal of the infamous Land Use Act introduced over 40 years ago, to enable especially Nigerians in the middle and low income earning class have access to land without reducing their scope of ownership of the Land.
The YPP hopeful lamented the failure of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FCMB), in meeting the hopes and aspirations of Nigerians. This failure by the government-owned mortgage institution, he further explained, is encapsulated in the FCMB’s ability to have only been able to build 17,000 housing units across the country through the National Housing Fund (NHF) it has managed in 25 years. Moghalu, therefore, assured that mortgage would be made accessible to all Nigerians as his administration would channel more funds to mortgage refinancing to enable the system have a subsidised mortgage support.
Also at the meeting, the Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Oby Ezekwesili, cautioned that while it would be politically difficult to repeal the Land Use Act, upon her election, she would institute a workable data on how the Act has limited not just housing but in making lands accessible. By extension, the overall economy would be a key focus for all stakeholders to work on.
Ezekwesili remarked that tackling the level of poverty in the country is very paramount as this would not only improve the living conditions of the citizens but will also in the long run improve housing stock on the supply side, in the country.
On the plethora of abandoned Federal Government buildings in Lagos State, Ezekwesili, a former Minister, was emphatic that such assets would be privatised to generate funds for the Federal Government. “I will not raise expectations that will not be realised. The total budget for 2019 is $30 billion. We need all the resources we can find,” she said.
On the part of the Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, the housing strategy would involve putting in place a transparent land registry system that would aid planning process.
“Part of the problem we have is that we do not have a proper documentation of houses because nobody wants to reveal how houses are built, who owns them, how much was it sold. Most of the houses in this country are owned by just few. We need a transparent land registry system. Without that, we cannot even start to plan,” Sowore said
He revealed that if elected, his administration would set aside $3.6 million for housing and increase the minimum wage to a N100,000 as part of its policy on mortgage for low income earners. “We are in need of 17 million homes. Over 80 million Nigerians are without homes. In Nigeria, an average family of five: a father, mother and three kids should be entitled to a home,” he said.
On the redevelopment of abandoned federal government buildings, Sowore said: “I will not give any more of our public institution to private the sector; they have gotten enough. We will convert them to schools, hospitals and for other use that will benefit the Nigerian people. If given to the private sector, it will end up in the hands of our minsters, governors, party leaders, national leaders among others. We do not even have enough space to cater for our social needs, we can’t continue to give our properties to them.”
The Presidential candidate of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Fela Durotoye, a state of emergency on housing would be declared, while there will be a convocation of stakeholders in the housing sector to create a vision that promotes access to affordable, safe and functional houses.
He said if elected, his administration would target creating 3.75 million houses in his four years. This would be achieved through his establishment of a national emergency housing fund to the tune of $ 3.6 billion as well as putting in place a policy framed around engaging the public in the development of houses. “The building capacity will increase every year. In my first year, 250,000 housing units would be created. In the second year, 500,000, third year, one million and in the fourth year, two million” he said.
For the Presidential candidate of the Accord Party (AP), Mr. Isaac Ositelu, regenerating the slums and ensuring lands are well surveyed before they are sold as well as conversion of abandoned buildings to an upgraded students accommodation would be the focus.
Earlier, the Director of the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, Prof Timothy Nubi, expressed concerns over the neglect the housing sector has experienced over the years. He regrets that notwithstanding the various programmes of successive governments, the increasing housing deficit, as well as the high growth of slums and the predominant population living in slum-like conditions are testaments to the failure of the programmes.
Underscoring the importance of housing to social and economic growth, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Academics, Prof Oluwole Familoni advised the candidates to efficiently deliver their manifestos when elected.