More Housing Estates For Anambra As Inter-Ministerial Committee Is Inaugurated
The Anambra State Governor Chief Willie Obiano has once more demonstrated its seriousness in the implementation of the housing policy and projects with the inauguration of an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Delivery of Housing Estates in Anambra State. The Committee which has as its Chairman, Honorable Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Sir Lawrence Chinwuba was inaugurated on over the weekend at the State Secretariat complex, Awka.
The Committee charged with providing first class housing estates has membership which is comprised of persons with experience in the delivery of housing projects drawn from the various ministries in the state. The terms of reference of the Committee include; identifying suitable and strategic locations for the construction of housing estates; to resume the provision of infrastructure in existing government land slated for housing construction and to enter into partnership with willing developers on Public-Private-Partnership initiative with a view to providing decent and affordable houses in well-planned environment.
Others are to ensure provision of leisure parks, and recreation areas to sustain development design of government as well as to identify sources of finance for any of the projects.
Speaking to newsmen after the inauguration, the Committee's chairman, Sir Chinwuba expressed happiness with the spread of membership among relevant Ministries, adding that the members would achieve the purpose for which the body was set-up. According to Sir Chinwuba, 'the Committee's initial concentration would be in the three senatorial districts of the state where the plan is to build housing estates in such areas as Awka, Nnewi and Onitsha respectively. For instance, we believe that the identification of a suitable land at a place like Onitsha for building an estate of global standard with modern amenities would help bring back home indigenes of the Anambra who had relocated to live neighboring states.'
Chinwuba added 'The envisaged estates that will spring up would demarcate respective residential areas to cater for the interest of all classes in Anambra State, whether super rich, middle class or migrant residents, while separate allocations would be designated for the Three Arms Zone comprising members of the executive, legislative and the judiciary.' Already an additional 300 hectares were required to augment the 800 hectares already secured for the Greenwood Estate in Awka for the housing estate project in Awka.
The Hon Commissioner explained that housing projects are capital intensive and stressed the need for members of the committee to synergize and reach out to investors in order to achieve the set objectives, adding that the state government undertakes proper valuation for every land acquired, and also continued to apply the policy of payment of additional 20 percent compensation. Chinwuba pointed out that he felt motivated by the Governor charge to committee to go and get the best estate design for the building of housing estates in Anambra.
Other members of the Committee are Linus Nwankwo (Ministry of Lands),Engr. Anthony Amobi (Ministry of Works), Arc. Obi Okonkwo (ASHDC), Josephine Ilo (Ministry of Housing and Urban Development), ESV. A.I. Nwofor (ASHDC), Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Ezeike (Permanent Secretary) and Quantity Surveyor I.C. Dim (Housing), Engr. Mike Obiekwo (Works), Arc. K. Mbanugo ((Housing), Ngozi Chilokwu (ASHDC) and a builder. Mr Ojeleke of the Ministry of Housing.