OPIC in strategic plan to grow Ogun economy through housing

The Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) is presently executing a strategic plan aimed to grow the state’s economy through housing with the building of Orange Valley Estate in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The 140 housing units estate located in the heart of the state capital, directly opposite the state governor’s office, is targeted at local and foreign investors as well as people that work in the state but live in Lagos, Ibadan and other neighbouring cities who will have to stay back and enjoy what the state has to offer.

Orange Valley Estate, according to officials of the state government,  is one of the housing estates planned by relevant agencies of government, including OPIC, Ogun State Housing Corporation, Ministry of Housing and Bureau of Lands and Survey, to create new towns that are sustainable and would enable the state to grow its economy.

Babajide Odusolu, OPIC managing director, disclosed to BusinessDay in Abeokuta  that the government , having observed housing shortfall across the state, gave its relevant  agencies the mandate to bridge this gap, explaining that Orange Valley Estate was initiated in January along with Plainfields Estate, New Makun City Estate, Kobape Housing Scheme, Third Laderin Workers’ Estate and the new phase Agbara Residential Estate, to support the state government’s urban renewal and new development project aimed to create urban communities in the state.

According to the managing director, OPIC has mandate to build, at least, 100 housing units for prospective buyers per annum, adding that the estate, which has 140 units altogether in its two phases, would have its first phase comprising  58 units of four-bedroom semi-detached duplexes and boys’ quarters delivered  by May this year.

The housing estate, whose  actual construction commenced in January this year is about 30 kilometres from Sagamu interchange and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which is considered the gateway between the North, East and Lagos—the nation’s commercial nerve centre.

It parades ultra-modern infrastructure such as dedicated power supply, regular water supply, a club house, CCTV coverage, broadband data services, swimming pool and gymnasium, tennis courts among other facilities.

 The estate offers flexible payment plan and prospective buyers can access the houses either through mortgage or self-financing with an initial payment of 20 percent of the value of the house with the balance  spread over twelve months. The units are available in four-bedroom semi-detached duplexes plus  BQ, five-bedroom villas plus home office and BQ as well as three-bedroom apartments.

RAZAQ AYINLA