‘Why low cost houses will remain a dream’

Adebisi Onanuga

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Aerofield Homes Limited, Armstrong Akintunde, has said efforts by governments to provide low cost houses for the people will remain a dream if the prices of building materials are not controlled and managed.

Akintunde, who stated this while exchanging views with reporters in Lagos, yesterday on housing development and other related issues, said the idea would never come to fruition but “will be comparable with winking in the dark, because, if the prices of building materials are exorbitant, the possibility of building low cost housing will be frustrated, thwarted and a mission impossible.”

He said: “The plans of governments desirous of low cost housing project must put into consideration the activities and the contributions of professionals and artisans in building, as well as manufactures and stockists of building materials. The cluster of this class of people and committed and selfless government officials or representatives will lead to attaining such goal.

“It must be taken into consideration that no matter how genuine the intention is or strong the drive may be, if the prices of building materials are not controlled or managed, the idea will never come to fruition. As long as standards are compromised and supervising authority is lackadaisical, collapse building experience will continue.”

Akintunde regretted that building collapse has become a recurring decimal in the country because of the selfishness of both builders and government officials pointing out that many of them are not doing the necessary things.

He added: “A builder wants to use the materials for one building to build two or three houses. The governments officers who are to supervise and inspect the propriety or standards of materials to be used are not ready to go the site to inspect them or the construction works once the builders are ready to settle them.’’