Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Tuesday inaugurated the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Morire Housing Estate in Ijagbo town, Oyun Local Government Area of the state.
The estate is meant for civil servants, traders and other Nigerians who can access it through the National Housing Fund (NHF).
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the housing estate, which comprises 210 units of two-bedroom terrace apartments, 200 units of three-bedroom units and 54 units of four-bedroom terrace duplexes, the governor said, “Housing is not a luxury. Basic housing is a fundamental human need and a cornerstone of dignity, security and family stability. Yet, across Nigeria and indeed in Kwara State, the challenge of addressing the housing deficit is daunting.
“This administration believes that the inadequacy of proper shelter for Nigerians is not merely a problem of not building enough houses. Indeed, several studies have attributed the housing deficit in Nigeria to a complex mix of causes, key among them being the high and rising cost of building materials, weak financing, difficult land systems, infrastructure gaps and institutional limitations, among others.”
Governor AbdulRazaq also thanked the management of ISHI Homes Limited for its partnership on the project and for choosing Kwara State as the location for the development.
Represented by the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Dr Segun Ogunsola, the governor applauded the developer for recognising his administration’s contributions to mass housing development in the state.
“The administration has consistently placed housing development high on its agenda. The government recognises access to decent and affordable housing as essential to the wellbeing of the people.
“The state government has also been in active collaboration with institutional partners, including the Federal Ministry of Housing, with a view to increasing the housing stock in the state.
“Recently, we acquired a housing estate with over 130 flats at Ogbondoroko in Asa LGA of the state. Government has approved that the estate be onboarded onto the administration’s social support scheme,” he said.
AbdulRazaq said the commitment was reflected in the development of the Kwara Smart City and other mass housing initiatives across the state.
The governor also said his reforms in land administration had reduced the processing time for a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) from 180 days to 35 days.
He said the improved turnaround time demonstrated the administration’s commitment to making land administration more transparent, efficient and investor-friendly.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ISHI Homes, Dr Olayinka Ilufoye, said the project aimed to democratise home ownership and make decent and affordable housing accessible to the people of Kwara South Senatorial District.
Ilufoye said the estate was meant for civil servants, traders and other Nigerians who can access it through the National Housing Fund (NHF).
“The name AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Morire, which translates to ‘I have seen goodness’, is a deliberate expression of our faith, hope and expectation.
“We believe this estate will become a testimony of prosperity, progress and abundance in Kwara South,” he said.
Ilufoye pledged that the company would remain committed to transparency, accountability, quality construction and timely delivery.
The Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KWGIS), Alhaji Sulyman Abdulkareem, said the state government had consistently placed housing development high on its development agenda.
He commended the state government for ensuring access to land and facilitating the prompt issuance of titles and Certificates of Occupancy.
Abdulkareem pointed out that by providing timely approval for mortgage transactions, the governor was creating the conditions necessary for housing development to thrive in Kwara State.
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