The Lagos State government has announced a groundbreaking initiative, offering 698 civil servants the opportunity to secure homes in various housing estates through a lottery system.
Revealed by the Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, during the 2024 ministerial press briefing commemorating the first year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office, this scheme offers selected workers an exclusive 40 percent discount for the duration of their service.
In a move towards transparency and fairness, the government has opted for a ballot system overseen by independent observers to allocate homes across designated locations, including Idale (Badagry Division) and LagosHOM Odo-Onosa/Ayandelu (Epe-Division), with the distribution set to commence on June 4.
Facilitating this initiative, the Lagos State Mortgage Board has meticulously compiled a list of applicants for home allocation. With 950 pre-qualified candidates for various schemes, including 400 for LagosHOMS in Ajara, Badagry, 450 for LagosHS in Odo-Onosa/Ayandelu, and 100 for the Lagos State Public Affordable Housing Scheme in Idale, Badagry, the stage is set for a transformative impact on the housing landscape.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Housing has demonstrated its commitment to local capacity building by engaging over 8,000 skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled residents of Lagos. Notably, in August 2023, the ministry partnered with consultants to train an additional 200 artisans under its Master Craftsman Training Programme, encompassing vital disciplines such as plumbing, masonry, painting, decoration, carpentry, furniture making, and electrical installations.
Despite encountering challenges such as encroachment on state-owned land, housing project litigations, and the sluggish pace of work by joint venture partners exacerbated by prevailing inflation trends, the ministry remains resolute. Through proactive measures such as Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve litigations and the promotion of local products, alongside strategic collaborations with academia and professional bodies to explore cost-effective building technologies, the ministry is poised to overcome obstacles and deliver on its mandate.
In conclusion, the Lagos State government’s housing initiative not only signifies a monumental step towards addressing the housing needs of its workforce but also underscores its unwavering commitment to fostering inclusive growth and sustainable development across the state.
