The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it had adopted measures against skyrocketing prices of building materials, to ensure all contractors returned to site for speedy completion of ongoing projects.
It said such would enhance its desire for affordable housing delivery.
The Commissioner for Housing, Mr Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, during a facility tour of three estates under construction in Eti-Osa Local Government of the state, decried the slow pace of construction due to price fluctuations.
Akinderu-Fatai said issues of the price fluctuations due to forex and rising cost of building materials would be resolved at the meeting with contactors and the governor.
The commissioner, accompanied by Mr Abdulhafiz Toriola, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, and Special Adviser on Housing, Mrs Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, visited Sheridan, Sangotedo and Abraham Adesanya estates.
Akinderu-Fatai said only 3,500 housing units had been delivered out of the government’s 7,000 planned target, hence the tour towards resolving all challenges slowing down construction works.
He listed challenges slowing down the pace of work on the sites to include infrastructure like roads, higher rate of foreign exchange for building materials and manpower.
He gave the assurance that work would continue earnestly in all estates very soon and more would be added to meet up the thousands of units promised by the governor for Lagos residents at affordable prices.
He promised that by May 2024, during Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s first year anniversary in his second term, several more schemes would be inaugurated.
He said high quality standards was being upheld to avoid mistakes of the past where some buildings constructed before Sanwo-Olu’s administration were sinking and had to be rebuilt, citing Abraham Adesanya Estate as example.
He said a meeting had been scheduled with the various contractors to allow price variation for serious contractors and to terminate contract of the unserious ones that were not committed to meeting construction timelines.
“We have housing units that we specifically target to the low income earners and Mr Governor, if you recall, has always made sure that we bring down those prices.
“There are certain housing units that are for commercial purposes. Ministry of Housing deliberately, under directive of Mr Governor, concentrate on low income earners,” he said.
He said the housing schemes were not targeted at profit but to deliver affordable mass housing, adding that measures were in place to prevent middle men from hijacking opportunities for residents.
He said after three months, beneficiaries of the Rent-to-Own schemes who did not occupy the houses would have their monies refused and the houses given to those ready to occupy them.
Mrs Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, spoke on regulating the private estate providers through Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA)
She advised residents to approach LASRERA on all transaction issues to avoid being duped, promising to pursue establishment of district offices in all the local governments, to make it easier for residents to make enquiry and seek redress against infractions.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Mr Abdulhafiz Toriola, assured residents of reliability of the schemes, adding that prospective home owners should key into it by applying for houses through the ministry.
