BY VINCENT UJUMADU
AWKA—A NEW high brow housing estate being embarked upon by Anambra State government through a private developer is to cost N9 billion, Special Adviser to Governor Peter Obi on Housing, Mr. Law Chinwuba, has said.

Christened, “Light of the Nation Estate”, the new scheme, occupying land area of 70 hectares, is located close to the popular Ngozika Housing Estate commissioned in July this by Governor Obi in Awka.

Conducting newsmen round the estate yesterday, Chinwuba said it would contain 350 duplexes of five and four bedrooms, with such facilities as shopping malls, banks, schools, churches, club house, and parks.

According to him, each of the five bedroom houses would go for N25.5 million, while the four bedroom units would go for N24.2 million.

He explained that in line with the policy of the state government, 20 percent of the plots were reserved for the land owners, adding that the estate has a completion period of about two years.

The special adviser said that already, access roads, water and electricity supplies are being put in place, noting that the reason behind the estate was to attract the upper class Nigerians to own properties in Awka comparable to those in some places in Abuja and Lagos.

Chinwuba said that in addition to the Light of the Nation Estate, the state government has acquired land at the Bridge Head in Onitsha, Nnewi and at Agu Awka for more housing projects. The Awka estate, he explained, would be mainly for the civil servants, adding that bill of quantities and designs for the workers’ city were ready.

He said: “We are working hard to meet the expectations of Governor Obi who has housing development as a priority. We recall that though Ngozika Estate was started 11 years ago, it was the present administration that completed it and today it is a sight to behold. Also, the Hill View Estate at Nkwelle Ezunaka is almost ready.