Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola has performed the official groundbreaking ceremony of 116 housing units under the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Programme in Gwagwalada in Abuja Nigeria.
While performing the ceremony, the Minister described civil servants as critical components of development, hence President Muhammadu Buhari special attention to their welfare needs in terms of housing.
The Minister also reeled out the many policy efforts by the present administration targeted towards uplifting the welfare of the civil and public servants in Nigeria to make them comfortable to perform optimally.
He listed among others; the Federal Government’s support for States to clear their salaries liabilities; civil servants’ salary review; pension reforms and the removal of equity contribution of the Federal Mortgage Bank housing loan of below N5 million for civil servants
The Minister also commended the leadership of the Ministry’s public building and housing directorate for their commitment in securing the land and development of the site master plan and infrastructure that has enabled developers’ interest for investment.
He assured the Gwagwalada community of government’s continued effort in developing the area, citing the recent tax credit policy investment in infrastructure.
Watershed moment
The Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi Esan in her keynote address thanked Fashola for graciously providing the expansive land in a prime area spanning 5 hectares.
Dr Folashade described the groundbreaking event as a watershed moment in accelerating the government’s agenda of ensuring the welfare of civil servants through the provision of affordable housing.
She said the FISH Programme was conceptualized as a vehicle to address the current housing deficit faced by civil servants consequent on the monetisation policy that saw the selling of government quarters across the country.
Emmanuel Ukoh
