Building collapse: Sanwo-Olu plans to train 1000 artisans

…To resucitate MasterCraft Programme
To reduce incidences of building collapse, cost of property development and enhance quality in housing development in the state, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said plans are in the offing to build the competence of local artisans and craftsmen in the state.

The governor explained that the purpose of the scheme is to sharpen the skills of Nigerians in the trade and crafts connected with building and bring them at par with their contemporaries in the region and the world at large.

Speaking while commissioning a 774 housing units of LagosHOMS Sangotedo Phase 1, Governor Sanwo-Olu said there was so much skill gap in the built sector, which forced Nigerian developers to prefer artisans from other countries. He described the development as sad, especially when the construction industry has a large potential for economic engagement for the Nigerian young people.

He said: “You will all agree with me that there is definitely a gap as many of our developers prefer artisans from other countries. This is sad because the construction industry has a large potential for economic engagement for our young people, but the issue of lack of precision and low level of delivery has to be addressed so that safety and standard can be enhanced.”

The governor said that the government, through the Ministry of Housing, would soon come up with an artisan training package tagged MasterCraft Programme, where over 1000 artisans would be trained in batches of 200 to ensure intensive impartation of knowledge and skills.

Harping on his administration’s drive to invest in Mass housing scheme, Sanwo-Olu said that the government has to continue to build decent homes in livable communities for people so that they can be psychologically and socially stable enough to contribute their quota to the development of the State.

According to him, “We also take into cognisance the joy that home ownership brings to our people. This is not only peculiar to Nigerians as home ownership has always been a mark of great achievement among all people. These considerations, among others, have made housing provision a critical part of our developmental efforts in the State.”

The governor, however, added that not everyone can benefit from State housing schemes. It is for this reason that we are deepening our activities in the area of land allocation and speeding up the formalization procedures for land acquisition.

Also speaking, the state’s Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, said that there is no doubt that the continuous provision of decent homes for the residents of Lagos State has become a hall mark of distinction of the present administration led by our able Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo Olu. Within the past 26 months, in line with its pledge and mandate, the State Government has delivered 14 housing schemes in various parts of the State. These projects achieved via the Ministry of Housing, Lagos State Property and Development Corporation, and Joint Ventures with private investors have brought into being livable communities that are adding values to the lives of many people.

Akinderu-Fatai added that Sangotedo Phase 1 consists of 744 homes in 62 blocks of 12 homes each. He said that there are 248 one bed, 248 two bedroom and 248 three bedroom apartments in the scheme. “It is important to note that this estate is the largest of the LagosHoms schemes and will impact greatly on the housing deficit statistics in the State. When the Phase 2 of the scheme is delivered in due course, there will be an additional 444 homes to the housing stock in the area . The infrastructural components in this estate include a network of well structured roads, adequate drainage system, perimeter fence, sewage treatment plant ,water treatment plant and electricity,” he said.

While commending the governor for the unwavering commitment to the delivery of the housing scheme, he said that the completion of LagosHOMS Sangotedo Phase 1 was achieved through budgetary allocation. Hence, he encouraged Lagosians to continue to support the State Government ,adding that their taxes and other positive involvements provide the necessary ingredients for a progressive and peaceful governance.