Expert tasks government on affordable housing

A Professor of Building (Construction and Material) of the Department of Building Technology, Covenant University, Olaobosipo Fagbenle has advised the federal government to incorporate sustainability and affordability in its policy formation in order to achieve efficient housing production delivery across the country.

Fagbenle, who spoke at the 24th inaugural lecture organised by Covenant University, at the University Chapel, Ota, Ogun State, lamented that government policy has not sufficiently addressed the issues of qualitative and qualitative demand for housing in cities, with many low income earners adversely affected.

“The problem is that the concept of sustainable housing delivery has not been adequately explained by governments to the various stakeholders, adding that the concept of sustainable and affordability needs to be adequately explained in policy formation to realistically achieve efficient housing production delivery.”

He posited further that various benefits should be provided by the government to enable private building developers to participate actively in the provision of low cost housing.

“Faster proposal adoption, a reduced property premium, infrastructure expense subsidization, a relaxing zoning and housing requirements and a reduction in the financial contributions to utility authorities could be included in the benefits.”

He stated further that the government could help in the housing deficit by offering land as an option to private developers working in low and low- medium cost housing project under special concession contracts.

“The government benefits must be appealing and appropriate to convince the private sector that this form of public-private relationship would produce higher returns than other investment opportunities,” he said.