Sani: Striving to Fulfil Promise Made to Kaduna People

John Shiklam writes on how Governor Uba Sani of  Kaduna state is striving to deliver on one of his campaign promises – mass, affordable housing to the people.

Kaduna state governor, Senator Uba Sani, seems to be in a hurry to fulfill his electoral promises to the people of Kaduna state.

The provision of mass and affordable housing is one of the top priority areas of his administration.

This was one of  the reasons for organising the Kaduna International Housing Exhibition 0.1, held in Kaduna between July 1 and 2, 2024. The exhibition with the theme, “Kaduna Sustainable Housing Development -A Model for Northern Housing Reforms,”  marked  a significant milestone in the efforts not only to fulfil campaign promises, but to address the housing needs of the people. 

It underscores the vision of the Sani’s administration for a future where every individual and family in Kaduna has access to safe, affordable and dignified house. 

The exhibition served as a platform to  exchange ideas with industry leaders, and explore innovative technologies and practices that can further enhance the housing sector in the state. 

It was an opportunity for developers, investors, and policymakers to collaborate towards finding solutions to the challenges in the housing sector and sustainable urbanisation.

Sani used the forum to showcase, strategies, successes and his vision in the efforts to provide decent and affordable housing for the people of Kaduna state since he assumed office.

Speaking at the occasion, the governor who was represented by the deputy governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, noted that homelessness in Nigeria and across the globe is a major concern, pointing out that fashioning effective strategies to address housing deficits has become very imperative.

According to him, the provision of affordable houses for Kaduna state citizens is one of the key priorities of his administration.

“We are committed to addressing the housing deficit in Kaduna State in line with our administration’s policy thrust and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. We have adopted a holistic approach towards filling the identified gap”, the governor told the gathering. 

According to him, the approaches adopted include, partnering with local and international investors, the introduction of Social Housing Scheme and the Development Lease Agreement (DLA) among others. 

Sani said the “Qatar Charity, in partnership with the Kaduna State government, is constructing mass housing for the Less privileged and Kaduna Economic City, all in Millennium City, Kaduna. I recently performed the groundbreaking for the construction of the 3,319 hectares at Nuru Suraj, Ungwar Dosa New Extension Layout. 

“This project is being executed through a Public – Private Partnership. Nuru Suraj and Kaduna State Government are working together to develop 35,000 plots for our people”, he said.

According to him, Nigerian Airforce, Nigeria Customs Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and the Federal Housing Authority have embarked on mass housing projects in the state because of the conducive atmosphere that has been  created, coupled with the attractive incentives.

Sani explained that the Social Housing Scheme, which is being funded directly from the State budget, is being implemented by the State Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. 

Under the scheme, four Housing Estates were  being developed with a total of 654 units  ranging from one to three  bedroom, semi-detached houses.

The state government has also attracted many investors (Real Estate Developers) and has partnered with them in the construction of mass housing estates across Kaduna metropolis under public private partnership (PPP) arrangement. 

The governor said his administration has  provided unencumbered land to the developers and facilitated all approvals and permits for construction of houses free of charge. 

The government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with each developer with details of tenure and agreed off-take prices of the different types of houses to be developed.  

The governor said the DLA programme was initiated to bring private participation into the housing programme. A  total of 1,103.52 hectares of land had been allocated to 52 private developers to build different types of houses for off – takers within Kaduna, adding that the developers are expected to deliver over 25,000 units of houses, with over 10,000 now completed; most of which have been sold and occupied. 

The Kaduna State Development and Property Company (KSDPC), a state owned Limited Liability Company saddled with, among others, the responsibility of building houses and selling same to the public has been recapitalised to engage in real estate business. 

Sani said the company had been able to build a number of houses – Premium, Medium and Low Income for sale to the general public.

He commended KSDPC and Kaduna International Housing Exhibition Limited (KHEL) for organizing the event, noting that attracting investments in the housing sector will contribute to efforts by the government to revitalise the economy of the state. 

Sani called on local and international investors to avail themselves of the huge opportunities in the housing sector in Kaduna State.

In his remarks, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, said  the provision of adequate housing is not just a basic human need, but a fundamental right that underpins sustainable development and social cohesion. 

He said housing exhibitions serves as platforms to demonstrate progress in housing development and to inspire future advancements in the field.

Tajudeen said, “The maiden edition of the Kaduna International Housing Exhibition holds immense significance for our community. It provides us with a unique opportunity to showcase our commitment to sustainable urban development, affordable housing solutions, and innovative architectural designs.”

According to him, the exhibition serves as a catalyst for fostering partnerships, driving economic growth, and promoting social inclusion through access to decent housing for all.

He, however, lamented that despite  the right to housing, numerous challenges persist in ensuring that this right is realized for all individuals. 

He noted that issues such as urbanization, population growth, inadequate infrastructure, lack of affordable housing options, homelessness, forced evictions, discrimination in housing access, and insufficient legal frameworks pose significant obstacles to achieving adequate housing for all.

“As we gather here today, we are reminded of the stark reality that many individuals and families in our communities lack access to decent housing. 

“Low-quality housing is often concentrated in slums or informal settlements, where the urban poor struggle to find shelter that meets even the most basic standards of safety and comfort.

“However, it is important to recognize that inadequate housing is not limited to informal settlements; even in formal urban areas, both low- and higher-income households face challenges in securing suitable living spaces”, the Speaker said. 

Tajudeen said that stakeholders should work together to ensure that every individual has access to safe, affordable and dignified housing.

This, according to him, requires a multi-faceted approach that includes not only increasing the supply of affordable housing but also addressing issues such as property rights, building standards, infrastructure development, and urban planning. 

“These are issues we hope this maiden Kaduna Housing exhibition would address”, he stressed. 

Tajudeen also noted the critical role that governments at all levels play in addressing housing challenges and urged that  policies must be formulated to promote affordable housing initiatives, improve urban planning strategies, enhance infrastructure development, among others, and ensure equal access to housing opportunities for all citizens.

He called for  collaboration with stakeholders, including private sector entities, civil society organizations, academia, and international partners in fostering innovative solutions to address housing needs effectively.

“Let us work collaboratively to ensure that every person in our society has a place they can call home – a place where they can live with security, dignity, and hope for a better future”, the Speaker said.