By Austin Ogwuda
MEMBERS of the Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have called on the Delta State government to replicate the iconic prototype of Jakande housing estates which was highly celebrated years back in Lagos State as a means of resolving the high rent palaver in Asaba and its environs.
The Chapel’s Chairman, Comrade Ifeanyi Olannye dropped the hint when he led the Executives and some Members of the Chapel on a courtesy visit to the State Commissioner for Housing, Rt. Hon. Godknows Angele at his office on Tuesday.
Olannye told the Commissioner that the visit was to felicitate with him on his outstanding achievements in the housing sector and to urge him to proffer ways to check the soaring accommodation rents particularly in the capital territory, Asaba and environs.
He urged the Commissioner to replicate the prototype of Jakande, Alaba and Amuwo-Odoffin Estates in Lagos State to crash the rents and effectively untilise land spaces at more affordable costs.
According to him, “If the State government can partner with developers and build high-rising accommodations, it will be cheaper, effective to manage and affordable given the currents costs of acquiring land and the rising accommodation rents in the State, particularly Asaba and environs.
“Your ministry is critical to the development of the State and in line with the Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori’s M.O.R.E. Agenda, you have played key role in the visible achievements of the governor since assumption of office”.
Responding, the Housing Commissioner told the visiting Journalists that the ministry would soon inaugurate a Taskforce to checkmate the activities of agents involved in exploitation through exorbitant rent charges in the State.
While disclosing that the State government would soon be sending an Executive Bill to the State House of Assembly to regulate the soaring rents, Commissioner Godknows Angele also muted the idea of government applying moral persuasion on the landlords in ensuring affordable accommodation.
“As a government, we are engaging on Public Private Partnership (PPP) targeted at crashing the rising house rents and by God’s grace, we shall build low costs housing scheme in my time”, he stated.
Photo: Comrade Ifeanyi Olannye (left) presenting a copy of his address to the Delta State Commissioner for Housing, Rt. Hon. Godknows Angele during the visit.
