By Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
Investors from China have offered to fund the ambitious Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) project launched last year by the Head of Service of the Federation (HoS), Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, with a commitment of $300 million (approximately N108 billion).
The
two Chinese firms, Global Hint Construction Company Limited (GHCCL)
and One Belt and One Road Financial Project Operation, signed the
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the HoS to construct over 5,000
housing units for civil servants in the Federal Capital Territory and
Nasarawa State under the mass housing programme for civil servants.
They will collaborate on the task with local real estate firm, ZVECAN Consulting and Engineering Limited.
According
to the terms of the MoU, the Chinese firms will deliver 700 units of
houses on 100 hectares of land in each of the housing estates in Apo
Resettlement Scheme and Imperial City, Mpape in Abuja.
In
addition, the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation will
liaise with Dangote Cement company and other manufacturers to bring down
the cost of building materials and make the property ranging from 2-3
bedroom terraces and one bedroom bungalows affordable for the workers.
Apart
from bringing the cash, the Chinese partners will also provide backup
technology, including solar power, construction materials and
expatriate on site workforce.
Steven
Kim, representing One Belt and One Road Financial Project Operation,
said the FISH project would be funded from China through the One Belt,
One Road office to realise the aim of setting up the initiative in
support of a people oriented project.
Osagie
Aigbe of GHCCL, said the Chinese investors were hoping to draw from
their experience in Angola and Kenya to bear positively on the Nigerian
mandate.
In Kenya, they built 3,000 housing units in Kisumu County and Omar Bay County and also handled staff housing units in Angola.
Last
year, over 30,000 federal workers keyed into the FISH Cooperative
Society Limited, hoping to buy houses offered by developers at
discounted prices in preferred locations in Abuja and Lagos.
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