NUJ Moves To Secure Affordable Housing For Members
Princess-Ekwi Ajide Abuja
A recent report from the Federal Government of Nigeria through its Bank of Industry says it requires about N21 trillion to bridge the estimated 28 million housing deficit across the country.
On this backdrop, the Nigeria Union of journalists, NUJ, Correspondent Chapel, FCT Council in conjunction with Housing Development Advocacy Network, HDAN, organized a one day housing summit which brought together stakeholders in the housing sector to brainstorm on finding solutions to housing problems of journalists who top the chart of underpaid salary earners.
The summit titled “Housing For All : The Role Of Cooperative Societies and Financial Institutions”, tackled issues such as growing urban population, increasing construction costs, declining household incomes, access to affordable housing schemes and funds which have become very difficult for millions of Nigerians especially journalists.
The Chairman of NUJ, FCT Council, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche charged employers of journalists to live to expectation by paying them their wages as and when due because nonpayment of salaries have put journalists and their families in harm’s way.
He emphasized that journalists who advocate for the good of others should not be allowed to wallow in poverty in spite of their sacrifice to humanity and asked Federal Government to initiate exclusive programmes for journalists to enable them access loans to build their own houses
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman of NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, FCT Council, and convener of the event, Mr. Jide Oyekunle, called on the Nigeria government to expedite action on solving the growing housing deficit so as not to be left behind in achieving Number 11 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG), which states that by the Year 2050, over 6.5 billion people will be living in cities.
According to him, Nigerian journalists have served the country with dedication and patriotism, and as such, deserve better living standards, saying that the role of the media in affordable housing cannot be overemphasized.
He said the encumbrances and rigorous conditions attached to social housing loans have made it difficult for journalists to own a house in the Federal Capital Territory and urged professionals in the real estate and mortgage sectors to find lasting solutions to the challenges in the housing industry in Nigeria.
Other speakers at the event including the Managing Director Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN, Mr. Madu Hamman, represented by Lawal Isa Kofar Sauri, the Managing Director, TI’Bilon Construction Limited, Mr Toochukwu Nnamoko, the Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Abuja Chapter, Mr Adebanjo Adeleke, representatives of Family Homes Funds, Mr. Funsho Gbodi and Domak Group International, Barrister Collins Mbeh Ojong among others, gave different ideas as the solution to housing problems of journalists in the capital city.
