The Executive Director, Housing Development Advocacy Network, Festus Adebayo, has urged presidential candidates of various political parties to disclose their plans to solve the country’s housing deficit ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He who gave the charge at the Africa Housing Award ceremony held recently in Abuja, bemoaned a one-paragraph manifesto on housing by some presidential candidates.
Adebayo said constructive dialogue was essential for any country to achieve its political and economic objectives, especially as they related to housing affordability and sustainability.
He added that said mistakes made in 2015 must not be repeated.
He said, “It is another avenue to engage politicians because it is a political season. We have seen the candidates going about on campaigns but none has spoken on how to solve the housing deficit or provide affordable housing.
“We have gone through the manifestos and it is abysmal that some spoke about it in one or two paragraphs. The issue of housing is too critical and must not be left behind.
“All candidates must state the terms of how this issue will be solved because this is a huge problem facing the country.”
According to him, housing’s effect on the economy is huge, as it creates jobs informal or formal.
“For the presidential aspirants, what we are saying is share your agenda with us detailing how each challenge facing the sector will be solved.”
We realised that a mistake was made in 2015 when promises were made to build one million houses per year and eight years later not up to 10,000 homes have been built. That mistake will not repeat itself.”
Earlier in his remarks, the chairman of the occasion and former Minister of State for Environment, Suleiman Zarma, thanked the awardees for remaining resolute to deliver affordable housing despite numerous difficulties witnessed in the sector.
Among the award recipients are CDK Industries, Adron Homes Ltd, Landmark Africa, and Dangote group.
