The governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urged professional builders on Wednesday to take advantage of numerous opportunities in the state to aid in the construction of affordable mass housing.
This was said by Mr. Adebayo Odusanya, Permanent Secretary, Office of Works who represented Sanwo-Olu at the 31st Lagos Builders’ Conference, which was held in Lekki and was hosted by the Lagos Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB).
The governor pledged to maintain the state’s infrastructure and create a favourable environment to accommodate the state’s expanding and shifting population.
He said that the theme, “The Shifting Landscape: Redefining the Real Estate Industry,” was important because the state is trying to come up with new ways to provide affordable housing for a large number of people and to protect the environment.
Sanwo-Olu urged the conference to offer solutions to the numerous issues, such as the high cost of construction and land that are impeding the provision of mass housing in the state and Nigeria.
He claimed that the NIOB had consistently shown excellence in offering solutions over the years and added that the association’s contribution had continued to have a positive impact on citizens.
He declared that Lagos State was open to working with interested investors who were prepared to support the administration’s efforts to implement significant changes in the transportation, environment, public infrastructure, and tourism sectors.
“On this note, I charge the association (NIOB) to leverage the endless opportunities of the strategic position of Lagos as one of the fastest growing economies in the world to be solution providers.
“On our part as a State Government, we will continue to maintain the available infrastructure and provide a conducive environment to accommodate the growing and shifting population in Lagos State.
“I must also commend The Nigeria Institute of Building for the deliberate efforts to promote professionalism in facility management. I enjoin you to continue to put in more for the overall benefit of Nigerians,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor claimed that the Lagos State Home Ownership Scheme (LAGOSHOMS), which his administration implemented through efficient, effective, and sustainable mass housing policy, was enhancing lives and means of subsistence.
“Our target therefore is to facilitate a Housing Finance System that will produce a foundation for long–term growth,” he said.
He said the state was progressing in the provision of mass housing, adding that his administration had “the unwavering quest to design and develop a mortgage system that supports the affordable acquisition of the growing housing stock the state.”
In a message of goodwill, the commissioner for housing, Mr. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, requested the conference to provide the government with the necessary technology and expertise.
According to Akinderu-Fatai, this was required to meet the need for vertical buildings and to handle the inflow of people.
In place of NIOB President Prof. Yohana Izam, the organization’s second vice president, Mr. Bimbo Kolade, provided a thorough history of the development of the real estate sector and construction methods.
Izam also discussed the value of design and supervision in the construction industry and the delivery of housing, as well as how technology was assisting in resolving difficulties related to housing supply and demand.
The Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) Chairman, Dr. Samson Opaluwah, listed building violations brought on by quacks and the council’s initiatives to guarantee professionals are in charge.
The head of CORBON took advantage of the occasion to officially launch the enforcement squad of the regulatory body in charge of physically visiting construction sites in Lagos to oversee building progress.
