THE PROBLEM OF HOUSING IN KOGI STATE

THE PROBLEM OF HOUSING IN KOGI STATE

INTRODUCTION

These are some of the initiatives or efforts made by Kogi state government to tackle the problem of housing accommodation especially in the state capital. This effort has been made to ameliorate the suffering of residents as a result of influx of people to the state from other parts of the country. It would be recalled that since the inception of the state in 1991, accommodation has been one of the major problems facing the residents despite the efforts of the successive administrations both military and civilian to tackle the perennial problem.

Prior to this time, civil servants in the early stage of the state were sleeping at every available open space such as the Lokoja township stadium and other unsuitable location during the formative year of the state.

Investigation, however, revealed that since 1991 when the state was created by the then military head of state, Badamasi Babangida, the number of houses available in Lokoja, the state capital were not enough to accommodate the civil servants from old Benue and Kwara states.

Apparently not satisfied with this trend, the successive administrations in the state introduce Owner-Occupier Scheme to solve the problem among the state workers.

The scheme was done in such a way that offer the allocation of apartment, the beneficiaries would pay little amount back to the state government through monthly deduction from their salary for a period of time for them to become proud house owners.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effort made by Kogi state government or and it agencies to solve housing problem in the state. To achieve the above aim the following objective follows:

-         To ameliorate the suffering of residents as a result of influx of people to the state.

-         To provide affordable houses for civil servant.

-         To provide houses for victims of flood disasters,

The efforts made by Kogi state governors and its agencies since from military regime up to the present administration to solve housing problems in the state includes:

The military regime of Col. Afakarya  and Col. Umeruwa built Aniebo and Adankolo housing estate in Lokoja.

Followed by the civilian government in Prince Audu Abubakar administration this are some of his major achievement which include:

The establishment of three (3) different housing scheme for public offers consisting of over 1,500 housing units in Lokoja.

The transformation of the colonial residence of Lord Lugard into ultra modern government house complex, the provision  of 250 units housing estate, construction of house of assembly quarters, commissioners quarters.

In the year 2008, the former governor Alhaji Ibrahim Idriss commissioned the 500 housing units built at Otokiti and Ganaja by the government.

More so there was 350 Felele housing estate which was being jointly financed by Kogi State government and FMBN for civil servants in the state. Also 400 housing units have been built in the 21 local government area in the state. Also the agency were not left out, 350 houses built by Kogi State investment and properties limited (KIPL), was segmented in three phases 140 units in phase 1 and 105 in each of the remaining two phases, and the new house of assembly quarters. While the present governor Idris Wada, constructed 272 units housing estate for flood victims families in Gadumo and also pledge that the post housing estate be replicated in the other eight (8) affected local government areas of the state.

The Kogi state property development corporation built over 200 housing units as crusher-felele, an outskirt of Lokoja along Okene – Lokoja – Abuja express way. We also signed an agreement with public private partnership (PPP) to construct 405 houses for Civil servants after completion the government will buy over the project. They have done about 105 houses, and the second phase is about 170 and the project will be ready in 2013, which is in 3 Phase of a moderate cost of 3 million, for one bedroom, 4.5 million for two bedroom and 6 million for three bedrooms respectively.

CONCLUSION

With the effort put together by the various regime and administratin from Colonel Ezibulasan Afakaria, Colnel Umeruwa, Prince Audu Abubakar, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris and the present administration of Idris Wada to solve the problem of housing in Kogi State with various programmes and policies, housing remain a great challenge to the state and also to Nigeria as a country at large.

REFERENCE

Desmon Tatu p.141 retrieved 9 July 2012.

Blueprint Newspaper-mg digital vendor

Sani, Habibu Angulu (2003). Rise and Fall of a state governor in Nigeria.

http://www.princeabubakaraudu2012.com

www.mydigitalvendor.org/...140.html