At least 20,000 thousand housing units will be constructed by the Lagos State government as part of milestone undertakings to mark the 50^th anniversary of the creation of the State.

The housing units which will be referred to as ‘Jubilee Housing Estates’, will be spread across 12 different locations across Lagos State.

Commissioner for Housing, Prince Gbolahan Lawal made this known at an interactive session with journalists on Monday.

Prince Lawal, who stated that the initiative was part of moves to reduce the three million housing deficit in the State, revealed that nationally, Nigeria still had a 17 million deficit to address.

“Towards the sustenance of the Rent-To-Own policy and high demand for housing by ‘Lagosians,’ the government in partnership with private developers is constructing 20,000 housing units in the next five years under the Lagos Affordable Public Housing.  ’’Government has approved joint venture partnership with six developers who have already mobilised to sites, the Estates to be christened JUBILEE HOUSING ESTATES in commemoration of the 50^th anniversary of creation of the State are cited in the following locations: Ijora Badiya, Imota, Ayobo , Idale (Badagry), Ilamoye-Isolo , Abijo, Tolu (Ajegunle) , Abule Ado, Ikota , Ibeshe, Owutu and Igbogbo,” he said.

 2017 projects
The Commissioner also said that a total of 5,196 housing units spread across 16 housing estates would be completed this year.

Prince Lawal revealed another initiative of the government known as the “Master Craftsman Project” aimed at redressing the dearth of skilled workers in Nigeria’s building industry.

According to him, it is not economically sustainable for the construction and building industry to be too dependent on foreigners.

“Another policy initiative of the Ministry is the “Master Craftsman Project” which is intended to redress the dearth of skilled workers in the building industry such as masons, carpenters, steel fabricators, plumbers, electricians, painters, joiners, tillers and the likes.”

“It will appear that the Nigerian Housing and Construction Industry is becoming more and more dependent on foreigners to fill the skill gap created, as our trained artisans gradually age out and not sufficient new ones are being trained to replace them.”

In order to correct the above anomalies, the “Lagos State Master Craftsmen Project” was introduced as government intervention. This is being done in collaboration with relevant Professional Bodies  such as the Nigerian Institute of Builders  and Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board , under the programme, artisans were trained for a period of six weeks in Ikotun, Ikorodu and Epe,” he maintained.

Pre-fabrication technology
The Commissioner announced that in line with government’s vision of affordable housing for the masses, prefabricated technology would be used in the construction of some housing units under the Lagos Homes Ownership Mortgage scheme, LAGOS HOMS.

He listed the schemes where the prefabricated models would be deployed to include Idale in Badagry, Imota and Ibeshe in Ikorodu axis, as well as Ikota in the Lekki axis.