Joel Ajayi
The federal government has commissioned the Gwagwalada Housing Estate in Abuja, which was constructed under the Staff Housing Loans Board FGSHLB for Civil Servants in the country.
The Gwagwalada FGSHLB Housing Estate seats on 5 hectares and consists of 2-bedroom blocks of 116 housing units, is expected to be replicated across the country.
While speaking at the official commissioning of FGSHLB Gwagwalada on Friday in Abuja, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF) Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan said the government of the day is leaving no stone unturned to ensure more Civil Servants becomes owners of their own house.
She expressed delight at the successful implementation of the project after its ground-breaking not quite long ago.
According to Yemi-Esan, the FISH project is one of the key programs of the 6 pillars of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (2021 to 2025).
She added that the priority area of FCSSIP25 was devoted to enhancing the value proposition for civil servants, regarding their welfare.
She said the current house price with different income ratios among civil servants had made it difficult for some civil servants to purchase their own house in the nation’s capital, hence the need for government intervention programs.
“To tackle these challenges therefore, and with the objectives of delivering affordable houses for civil servants, the office of the HOCSF established a FISH program with the main objective of reducing the cost of housing for civil servants to the barest minimum.
“These houses and their keys will be delivered to those fortunate civil servants today and in the course of this event, there will be a symbolic presentation of keys to four officers who have been allocated houses in this estate, ” she said.
Despite multiple schemes implemented by various governments around the country, affordable housing remains elusive to the average Nigerian.
Because the situation is comparable to that of other developing nations, it remains a key concern in these countries’ socioeconomic development.
However, Dr. Yemi-Esan revealed that: another 8 hectares of land has been approved for the building of more this in the Jiwa Area of Abuja which will further ameliorate the housing deficit
In his remark, Mr Ibrahim Mairiga, Executive Secretary, of the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB), who congratulated the beneficiaries, described the Estate structure as a model worth emulating because of the infrastructure within the premises.
Mairiga lauded the efforts of the head of the service who collaborated with his office for the successful implementation of the projects.
Meanwhile, Obina Martins a staff with the Ministry of Education one of the beneficiaries commended the gesture of the office of the HOCSF and the FGSHLB for creating such an opportunity for civil servants.
“As civil servants from the core ministries to become proud house owners in the FCT, indeed it is a thing of joy for such an opportunity, indeed we are grateful, ” he said.
