Workers contributes N2b to FMBN monthly – Kaigama

Federal government is set to commence construction of houses for its civil servants in selected two states per geopolitical zones, as workers monthly contributions to the Federal Mortgage bank hit N2b

President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) Bobboi Kaigama disclosed this in Abuja Tuesday, at a stakeholders forum to announce a partnership arrangement between workers of the Voice of Nigeria ( VON) and the Value Chain Consults.

The meeting announced the commencement of construction of houses for VON workers to be undertaken by the Value Chain Consults as well as pre qualify the workers through a scientific profiling that will determine the housing affordability status of each of the workers

Kaigama stated that the housing projects will cover two states per each geopolitical zone , with special ones in Abuja and Lagos, in the first phase.

The South south zone will be situated in Rivers and Delta, Nasarawa and Plateau (north central) kaduna and Kano ( North West) , Borno and Adamawa (North East), Lagos and Ogun( South West) and Enugu and Abia ( South East)

Kaigama noted who stated that workers contribute N2b to FMBN, said the funds will now be utilized effectively for the Nigerian workers.

He disclosed that the project already has the backing of President Muhamamdu Buhari.
He commended the Value Chain Consults for painstakingly carrying out detail housing affordability survey for the civil servants which he said will eliminate the problems of empty buildings do to inability of workers to pay for houses constructed fir them

“When you are building houses and you do not know your off takers status, your efforts will be in vain.

“ Previous efforts to build houses for workers remain white Elephant projects because they did not take time to plan for the workers by knowing the salary strength of each worker”

Kaigama had questioned the rationale for awarding contracts to build houses that Nigerian workers are not able to afford.

“What we have currently is a case of building for the upper class, not even the DG of Von can afford the houses that are currently being built in Abuja, because of the high costs.

He applauded the efforts of Value Chain Consults for taking the pain to prequalify the staff before embarking on the construction of the staff houses, adding that the new concept will go a long way 8n checking corruption in public service.

According to him” International banks give loans at single digit, so why are Nigerian banks taking as high as 25% interest from loans” he queries

“We are prepared to support you. Irrespective of which organization you work for, our current desire is to ensure that each of our civil servant is accommodated.

He also commended the DG of Von for releasing the land for the workers housing scheme.

The Director General of the Voice of Nigeria ( VON) , Ostia Okechukwu assured the workers that the project will be carefully executed for the benefit of the workers adding that “ we have made available 20 hectors of land at Lugbe within the federal capital Territory in the first phase for the workers.

“ We took time to hold series of meetings before we got to this stage. I want to assure you that when the planning stage is completed within the next two weeks, we will commence construction of the houses and Mr President will commission the houses” he assured

Okechukwu who disclosed that all the VON staff across the nation will be accommodated under the arrangement noted the staff residing in Abuja will however be the first beneficiaries of the current arrangements.

“ We are adopting a model that will tie these houses to their work, drawing a nexus between their work and the values they gain by working well”

The Principal Consultant of the Value Chain Consults, Joshua Egbagbe noted that housing is a basic human necessity even as provided for in Section 26(2d) of the Nigerian Constitution, which he said provided that suitable and adequate shelter should be made available for Nigerian citizens.

He noted that the project tagged VON/TUC/ Value Chain strategy for affordable housing, will witness a survey targeted at the pocket of every civil servant, to know the off takers affordability status of each worker.

The project backed by the German Agency for Development ( GIZ ), is the first of its kind in Nigeria targeting three important factor in housing, such ad Age and monthly net salary of the workers as well as the mortgage interest on the loan

According to him” For the past four years, we have been fine tuning this strategy until we signed an agreement for a strategic partnership.

“Housing is an important incentive to make workers more productive, prevent corruption, as well as check problem of insecurity.