The Convener of Abuja International Housing Show (AIHS), Mr Festus Adebayo, has expressed his commitment to partner with the 9th National Assembly in enacting Housing laws to enhance investment in the sector.
Speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, Adebayo, who is also the Managing Director, FESADEB Media Group, said the partnership would boost the required attention for housing sector development.
“We are waiting for the inauguration of the 9th Assembly to follow up all the Housing Bills that will aid investments in the real estate and promote efficiency.
“These laws will assist the private sector and investors in the real estate sector to deliver affordable houses.
“To achieve this, we will give priority to the review of the Land Use Act where the issue of access to land can be sorted.
“If we can remove the problem of land, the problem bothering housing affordability will be reduced drastically at the level of 50 per cent,’’ he said.
On the issue of building materials, Adebayo said there were still some affordable building materials that could be used in the country to achieve affordability.
He blamed the problem of lack of infrastructure and non-access to land as major factors causing high prices in housing in the country.
According to him, lack of infrastructure and land made housing difficult because you have to access the land; you pay for the land and compensation; you construct road; provide transformer as well as primary infrastructure.
“This is the reason why affordable housing has been difficult apart from all the money the developers are also paying to Development Control for building approval and some other expenses.
“If government can do more by becoming housing-friendly, by looking for tax exemptions in the area of building materials and encourage our research institutes, it will boost the sector,’’ Adebayo said.
He noted that the problem with affordable housing was not rooted in building materials but rather rooted in cost of infrastructure and land.
FESADEB Media Group is also the producer of Housing Development Programmes on Africa Independent Television (AIT), Ray Power, TVC and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
The AIHS 13th International Housing Show is scheduled for July 23 to July 26, with the theme: “Driving Sustainable Housing Finance Models in the Midst of Global Uncertainties’’. (NAN)
