Stories by YINKA KOLAWOLE, with agency report

The Nigerian Navy is set to secure a partnership deal with the United Nations Humans Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) and a Chinese firm – Messrs  Beijing Chengdong International Modular Housing Corporation, to deliver 20,000 affordable homes for officers and men of the Navy within the next three years.

Under the arrangement, Navy will provide land as equity, UN-Habitat will provide technical support, while the Chinese firm, which that specialises on prefabricated housing, will be responsible for the construction of the low-cost homes in different locations across the country. To this end, a tripartite meeting was recently held at the Defense headquarters, in Abuja, between  the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; Director, Regional Office for Africa, UN-Habitat, Professor Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka; and representatives of the Chinese firm. A formal agreement is expected to be signed in few weeks time.

The Chief of Naval Staff observed that the Navy has a big housing deficit, asserting that the agreement to develop the 20,000 homes would address the housing concerns when completed in 2019. This, he added, will also go a long way in encouraging officers and ratings of the service. According to him, the major concern of most Naval personnel in the course of service is the fear of what happens when they are retired, where to stay and be comfortable after they leave service. “The least expectation is to have a place where they can retire. The 20,000 that would be built in three years will bridge the gap and provide for those who desire to own a home”.

Ibas promise to vigorously pursue the project, noting that the Research and Development directorate of the Navy already has data of the existing housing deficit in the organisation.