Over 12,500 applicants have applied for the 500 housing units constructed by the Katsina State Government along Mani road in Katsina, the state capital, at the cost of N2.5 billion.

The State Commissioner for Works and Housing, Alhaji Musa Sada, noted that the rush is a reflection of high demand for accommodation in the state, in the face of inadequate housing.

He added that the government will fashion out a way to allocate the houses to state and federal civil servants, politicians, and other citizens of the state who are in dire need of housing.

“However, the number of applicants has surpassed the number of houses. The works ministry is currently processing the applications for subsequent allocation of the  houses, constructed at the cost of N2.5 billion,” Sada told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Sada explained that in view of the large number of applicants for the 500 housing units, the state government had decided to construct more houses in the state capital this financial year (2010).

Already, he added, arrangement had been concluded for the building of another set of houses as land had been acquired along Daura road for the project comprising 180 housing units. “However, this time around the houses will be low cost houses so as to reduce the cost for the people.”

Sada also said that the state government was looking into the possibility of acquiring land along Jibia, Batsari, Dutsinma and Kano roads in the state capital on which to construct additional low cost houses, while reiterating the state government’s determination to provide shelter to the citizens.

Sada stated that in order to arrest the situation of inadequate housing, the state government has decided to construct an additional 500 units this year. According to him, government has acquired a site along Daura Road, where 180 new housing units would be constructed, adding that work would commence before the end of this month.

Similarly, he said government in  its efforts to open up the state capital, has been looking for other sites to build more low cost houses, explaining that the whole 500 housing units would not be located in the same place but scattered all over.

“Because of the demand, we are doing them as low cost houses, giving people opportunity to improve on them when they acquire them, so that we reduce the cost and have more houses built,” he said.

Sada revealed that government is also discussing with private developers to address the situation, saying that if not for the problem of the financial meltdown, all the requirements would have been met by the state government.

Meanwhile, the commissioner confirmed that the state government has allocated a land to the NNPC for the construction of 1,000 housing units along Daura Road, while the Police who are allocated land along Kaita Road have concluded plans to commence work, adding that where the government is not able to build all the required number of houses, it would facilitate the building of more houses by other interested partners.