The Bauchi State Government is targeting the creation of 20,000 jobs and employment opportunities for indigent residents through the ongoing construction of 2, 500 housing units.
Malam Mukhtar Gidado, the Senior Special Assistant on Media to Gov. Bala Mohammed, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Monday.
He said the construction project would create jobs for labourers, carpenters, masons, electricians, tipper operators, local contractors and other complimentary workers.
Gidado said that the project is by the Bauchi State government in collaboration with the federal government through its Family Homes Funds (FHF) Limited.
NAN reports that on March 21, Gov. Mohammed, performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the project in Dungal Village of Bauchi Local Government.
Gov. Mohammed said the project was designed to be completed within 12 months.
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Gidado said the project was coming at a time when the state’s demographics have changed dramatically due to internal displacement caused by insurgency as many people within the region came to the state thereby creating a significant imbalance especially in respect of existing facilities.
”The housing policy is aimed at providing affordable shelter for the indigent especially the low income earners in accordance with the current national social housing initiative.
”The housing policy has a moratorium span of four years while the repayment period would last between 12 and 15 years,” he said.
He said the administration of Gov. Mohammed was fully committed to addressing the numerous infrastructure deficit affecting the state through construction of houses , roads, schools and hospitals.
The FHF which is domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Finance, is a Social Housing Programme initiated by the federal government to provide inexpensive mortgages for low-income individuals and families across the country.
The federal government said the FHF has a commitment to put 500,000 families in homes by 2024 and in the process, create 1. 5 million jobs.