By Yinka Kolawole
Minister of State for Works, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs Grace Ekpiwhre, has declared that the collaboration between the federal government and the private sector on housing development under the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) scheme is yielding positive results.

Speaking at the ground breaking of 932 Federal Housing Authority/ENL Consortium Limited Estate named ‘Paradise Hill’ located in Apo, Abuja, Ekpiwhre noted that the implementation of the scheme has enabled government reduced the spending of public funds on such projects and deploy such funds to other areas of need.

“One is delighted that this housing project is yet another outcome of positive collaboration between government and the private sector. The message is finally getting home that government, no matter how well endowed or benevolent cannot underscore the wisdom working with the private sector. For one thing, it frees public funds which could now be deployed for other areas of need,” she stated.

Ekpiwhre assured that government will continue to collaborate with the private sector to produce mass housing and ensure improved infrastructure, social, economic and political stability, adding that the Federal Government will continue to protect private sector investments in our economy.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Mr. Terver Gemade, said that the ground breaking of ‘Paradise  Hill’ estate  is a further demonstration that FHA understands the nature and dimensions of housing crunch in Abuja and  making  significant contributions towards addressing it frontally.