The Egba Economic Summit has revealed that Over 3million Abeokuta residents are in need of housing.
The Chairman, Board of Directors of Egba Economic Summit, Prince Abiodun Karunwi disclosed this at the weekend while addressing journalists during the 9th Annual General Meeting of the group with the theme: “The Future Is Now”.
Karunwi expressed concern over the growing housing deficit despite the government’s effort in the sector.
According to him “the housing deficit of Egba alone is well over 3 million. That means if you construct 3 million housing units today, they will be lapped up and you will still have demands. The person living in one room apartment, face me and face you, wants to move up to self-contain, and on and on like that.
“So, there is a huge housing deficit. So, mortgage can work. But what percentage of the government or private workforce can afford that deduction and afford the very basic means of livelihood.”
Karunwi, however, noted that the idea of affordable housing is no longer feasible due to what he called high price of commodities.
The President of EES, Chief Shina Luwoye said the state government’s price for its housing unit “is the cheapest around.”
Luwoye said “However, I don’t like deceiving people. The truth is that Ogun State Government has provided those houses as cheapest as it could be. I doubt if there is anywhere in Nigeria or around this district that you can build a house, two-bedroom flat with N4million. Let’s not deceive ourselves. And government is not to subsidize any family.
“Government is there to provide basic facilities for everybody. In fact, in an ideal situation government should not be the one building the houses. What government needs to provide and put in place is for people to be able to own houses over 30 years minimum. Mortgages will help. That is what we should be advocating not by deceiving people that the house is affordable.
“The truth is that many of our people that complain that the house is not affordable, they will do wedding ceremony tomorrow with N5million, N6million and spray money there.
“For me, it’s not telling then what they want to hear, it is telling them what they have not heard and will pain them but save them in the future.”