The Zamfara Government has appealed to the Federal Government to provide additional houses in the state to solve the accommodation problems facing people in the state.
The state’s Deputy Governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, made the call while receiving the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Shehuri, in Gusau on Wednesday.
Wakkala noted that the state was facing serious problems of housing especially for the civil servants.
“Sir, you know the level of Zamfara state in terms of revenue generation as we have the least federal allocation in the country which hardly meet our needs,’’ he said.
However, he said that despite the meagre resources the Gov. Abdul’aziz Yari have executed various development projects that have positive impact on the people.
“But we are in serious need of housing intervention. We want to use this opportunity to appeal to the federal government to assist the state government in the provision of more houses in the state.
“Our people are facing serious challenges of shelter and housing, especially the civil servants. Some of our workers go back to their villages after working hours to sleep and return for work the following morning.
“I know, the problem of housing is almost all over the country but if big states Like Lagos can complain about shortage of housing what of Zamfara state, the youngest state in the country, a state with least revenue generation in the country,” he said.
The deputy governor commended the federal government housing scheme project in the state, saying that the project would assist the state in solving such problems.
The minister had earlier said he was in the state for an official assignment as part of his tour to inspect the ongoing federal government housing scheme across the country.
Shehuri said the federal government came up with the housing scheme to curtail the problems of accommodation and shelter in the country.
“You know, one of the major promises made by President Muhammad Buhari during his electioneering campaigns in the country is to provide enough houses to Nigerians.
“This housing scheme apart of providing accommodation and shelter to Nigerians it would also provide employment opportunities to our people.
“We have started with 3,000 houses in some selected states in the country under the 2016 budget implementation. We are also making arrangements to give out additional contract in other states.’’
While inspecting the Federal Secretariat and Federal Housing Scheme projects in Gusau, the minister commended the contractors for carrying out quality jobs.
He urged them to give effective compliance to rules and regulations of the projects in order to assist government in achieving its policies on the scheme. (NAN)