…It’s
Another Promise Fulfilled, Says Lagos Gov
It was all
outpouring of emotions and joy, on Friday, at the Banquet Hall of the State
House in Alausa on Friday when Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu,
presented keys to beneficiaries of his administration’s maiden rent-to-own
housing scheme.
Governor Sanwo-Olu
allotted all the apartments of the Lateef Kayode Jakande Housing Estate in
Igando to 492 families certified by the State’s Mortgage Board to benefit from
the scheme. The allocation came four months after the housing estate was
completed by the Sanwo-Olu administration.
A 56-year-old
widow, Mrs. Fatimat Kosoko, betrayed emotion as her name was being announced to
benefit in the scheme.
The mother of four,
who is a staff of the Ministry of Education, said the scheme had brought a
“huge relief” to her family, eight years after she had been struggling to
provide decent accommodation for her children, following husband’s demise. She
got a 40 per cent rebate on the monthly payment to service the mortgage.
Sanwo-Olu described
the development as “a promise kept ahead of time”, noting that his
administration’s modified rent-to-own housing scheme took off earlier than
expected.
The Governor
reiterated that provision of decent homes for a large number of residents
across the State remained a key thrust of his administration’s social
intervention scheme, stressing that his Government had introduced a simple
mortgage model to expand the opportunity to low-income families.
He said: “We cannot
overemphasise how critical housing is to all residents. We made a promise that
we will deliver decent homes to our people. For us to start fulfilling this
promise earlier than we predicted, it shows the credibility and our readiness
to stand with our pledges to Lagosians. It’s a promise kept ahead of time.
“Therefore, it is
with great pleasure to hand over keys to apartments of Lateef Kayode Jakande
Gardens to all beneficiaries selected by the Mortgage Board. Shelter, as we all
know, is critical to fulfilling all other activities of life. Home ownership is
a mark of great accomplishment, especially in city like Lagos. My joy knows no
bound as ordinary people now boast of owning decent homes under my administration.”
The Governor said
the delivery of affordable housing to low-income residents underscored
“irrevocable commitment” of his administration to actualise its agenda of
building a 21st century economy and attaining ‘Greater Lagos’.
Sanwo-Olu promised
that his Government would continue to make more impacts through social
intervention schemes, pledging that other ongoing housing projects would be
completed.
He also said the
welfare of the State workers would be a priority of his administration,
disclosing that he had directed the Ministry of Housing to reserve 10 per cent
of the properties developed by the Government for civil servant to keep them
committed to the service of the State.
The Governor
advised those who missed out in the maiden housing scheme not to lose hope;
their applications, he said, would be re-considered in the subsequent schemes
coming later in the year
Sanwo-Olu urged the
allottes to take ownership of the Estate by maintaining all facilities provided
in the Estate.
Commissioner for
Housing, Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, said all housing schemes initiated by the
previous administrations were being speedily worked on for completion on the
order of the Governor.
He disclosed that
the Government would be delivering additional 360 homes in Igbogbo, 744 homes
in Sangotedo, 660 homes in Agbowa and 680 apartments in Egan Igando.
He said: “We are
working on innovative strategies, which will enable us use technology to reduce
time of construction, increase quality of homes and reduce the cost of building
to make the housing scheme more affordable.”
He said the the
Sanwo-Olu administration’s modified rent-to-own scheme had given relief to
applicants by making them pay 5 per cent commitment fee and spread the balance
on monthly basis for over a period of 10 years.
Akinderu-Fatai said
the housing scheme was conceived with the objective to create first-time home
owners within the next four years.
A beneficiary,
Sonoiki Idowu, who was once one-day Governor in Lagos, could not hide his joy
after being presented with the key to his apartment.
He said: “I’m
coming from a background where we can’t afford to rent a good apartment, much
less buying a home. Today, I can say I have owned a decent home. May God bless
Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for this wonderful housing programme.”
