As Nigeria joined the rest of the world in marking the 2022 World Habitat and World Cities Day yesterday, the United Nation has said over one billion people live in overcrowded settlements worldwide with inadequate housing stressing that, the number is rising every day.
This is just as the minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola has said, despite housing deficit in the country, Nigeria still has many houses that were not occupied by people.
The United Nation Secretary General, Mr Anthonio Gutterres, in a message to commemorate the World Habitat and World Cities Day in Abuja Thursday, said, each year, World Habitat Day focuses attention on the state of human settlements.
He said, “This year’s theme – ‘Mind the Gap. Leave No One and No Place Behind’, puts the spotlight on widening inequalities in living conditions across the world.
“A cascade of challenges, from climate chaos and conflicts to COVID-19, is hitting the most vulnerable populations the hardest.
“Rapid and unplanned urbanization is exacerbating many of these challenges.
“Today, over one billion people live in overcrowded settlements with inadequate housing, and that number is rising every day.
“We need more urgent action and greater investment to provide affordable housing to all, alongside access to electricity, water, sanitation, transport, and other basic services.
“To leave no one behind is the core pledge of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
“This means making cities work for women and children and closing existing gaps: between the haves and the have-nots; within and between urban and rural areas; and within and between developed and developing regions.
“Inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and human settlements are crucial and local action is key”, he said.
The UN secretary General further noted, “Cities, towns, and communities can spearhead innovative solutions to address inequalities, ensure adequate shelter for all, tackle the climate crisis and drive a green and inclusive pandemic recovery.
“This includes pursuing people-centered policies, promoting sustainable patterns of consumption and production, and prioritizing green and resilient infrastructure.
“On World Habitat Day, let us pledge to live up to our shared responsibility to one another”, he said.
Delivering a key note address at the minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola Xstrayed president Buhari’s efforts in making housing affordable for the people.
He said the present administration engaged in many projects such as roads construction and others to alleviate the sufferings of the people.
According to him, ” in order to bridge the poverty and inequality gaps through the Implementation of Ministerial Mandates, Urban Renewal and Slum upgrading
programme have been used by the Ministry to actively collaborate with the Private Sector to create 4,435 direct well-paying jobs for Nigerians youths through the implementation of 33 Projects in several Nigerian cities from January, 2021 to June, 2022″. he said.
He maintained that the capital projects includeed construction/rehabilitation of roads, culverts and Drains;, provision of Potable Water through Local Borehole Supply Systems;
Provision of Solar Powered Street-lights; and Provision of Storm-water Drainage Channels.
The minister said his ministry is also collaborating with UN-Habitat in implementing the Participatory Slum Upgrading Program (PSUP) as a practical strategy to tackle the slum and housing challenges.
Fashola said the ministry’s goal is to create smart and sustainable cities, adding that the initiative has been adopted by the UN agency as a
sustainable way of addressing the salient issues and challenges of homelessness, housing crises and slum situations in the Africa, Carribean and
Pacific (ACP) countries.
He noted that, “at the instance of the International Agency, three cities namely; Karu, Nasarawa State, Ifako Ijaye, Lagos State, and Onitsha,
Anambra State have been profiled. Also, some states namely Katsina, Yobe, Rivers, Osun, Ondo, Kogi have adopted the PSUP programme and
successfully profiled some of their cities.
“Nigeria is at the phase two of the programme which involves implementation of prioritized projects to
alleviate slum and housing conditions in the profiled settlements”, he said.
While acknowledging the increase in the participation of the private sector in Nigeria’s housing sector, the minister said it was important to
draw attention to the work that needs to be done at the State level to ensure that those who wish to build by themselves and only seek access to
land benefit from reforms in the process that governs allocation of land and issuance of title documents such as Certificates of Occupancy.
He stated that “the other important matter, which is also within the remit of State authorities, is the issue of rent. If at the Federal Government level, a Rent-to�Own acquisition/sale model for the disposal of the Houses in the National Housing Programme has been introduced, state authorities, especially
parliamentarians, should devote thoughts and action to how the payment of rent can be easier and comfortable for both tenants and landlords.
“Any
legislative intervention that ensures that working class people can pay their rent when they receive their salaries will not only greatly impact the economy positively but go a long way in ensuring that we mind the gap while leaving no one and no place behind”, he maintained.
