In picture above: (L-R) Director of Commerce (MCIC), Mrs. Hellen Adesina; Director of Cooperatives Service (MCIC), Mrs. Zulikha Ibrahim; The representative of the Commissioner and Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr. Oladele Ajayi and President Lagos State Cooperative Federation (LASCOFED), Bar. Shobulo at the sensitisation forum on the establishment of Housing Cooperative Association at the LASCOFED office in Ikeja.
In a bid to ensure affordable housing, the Lagos State Government has revealed plans to establish a Cooperative Housing Association as an umbrella body for the Housing Cooperative Societies in the State.
The Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs. Lola Akande, disclosed this at a sensitisation forum held on Tuesday at the Lagos State Cooperative Federation (LASCOFED) office in Ikeja, with the representatives of Housing Cooperative Societies, emphasising that there is a need to encourage the formation of more Housing Cooperatives as a way for members to share ownership and live in affordable housing across the metropolis.
Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives.
Mrs. Akande, represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr. Oladele Ajayi at the forum, said “The formation of the Housing Cooperatives will culminate in the establishment of the Cooperative Housing Association as the umbrella body of Housing Cooperatives in the State. The Association will ultimately help to facilitate access to decent and affordable housing, through the cooperative housing model resulting in improved quality of life of members”.
She said some of the benefits of establishing a Cooperative Housing Association include the provision of housing for members at low cost through the Federal Government family Home Scheme; provision of technical services and small housing loans to members; provision of affordable as well as decent housing and infrastructure to low and modest-income communities; and the provision of finance to members of the community mobilisation, training and technical support services among others.
The Commissioner noted that the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MCIC) is working with a technical partner, Michelle and Anthony Consulting Limited, to sensitise the Cooperative movement on the opportunities that can be harnessed by the Association, having worked with several other cooperatives across the Federation.
“We are sure that Michelle and Anthony Consulting Limited will assist the association to leverage on the inherent capacity within the movement to achieve the set objectives by the virtue of its own accomplishments so far and information that will be brought to the table”, Mrs. Akande said.
Earlier, the Director of Cooperatives Services in the Ministry, Mrs. Zulikha Ibrahim, said the members of the Cooperative movement present at the sensitisation forum should count themselves lucky because they are about to benefit from the opportunities inherent in the Housing Cooperatives in Lagos State.
“I will like you to pay more attention to the facilitator, be focused and concentrate on the discussions on housing Cooperatives. I am sure that the new experience that will be gathered today would be beneficial and make the societies more productive”, she said.
