The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Monday in Abuja, restated his loyalty to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Saraki also reiterated his belief that the President Muhammadu Buhari government would redeem the electoral promises it made during the campaigns for the 2015 general elections.
The Senate President spoke at the 10th Abuja Housing Show, where top government officials and prominent stakeholders in the housing sector brainstormed on the theme: “Expanding Access To Affordable Housing In Africa.”
Acknowledging the presence of the APC National Organizing Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, who earlier kick-started discussions at the summit, Saraki assured that the APC government remained unwaveringly committed to the social welfare of the people, while re-affirming his loyalty to the party.
“The Senate and the National Assembly, as a whole, believe very strongly that we must make a difference in the housing sector,” he said.
Reacting to observations that the existing housing laws needed amendment and repeal, respectively, the senate president charged the organizers of the summit to take further steps by forwarding a document of laws requiring such action to the National Assembly.
“I assure you that action will be taken instantaneously,” he said.
Saraki also noted that the Senate had commenced the review processes of several laws affecting property rights and access to housing in the country.
According to him, the review of the National Housing Fund Act had commenced and would be completed before the end of the year.
On his part, the APC national organizing secretary said that housing deficit in Nigeria had been pegged at 17million units.
“As at today, only 10 per cent of those who dream to own a house in the country can afford it, as against the 92 per cent house owners in Singapore.
“The central objective of the Summit, however, is to come up with feasible strategies on how to end the problem of homelessness in Nigeria,” Izunaso said.
Dignitaries at the Summit included the representative of the Speaker of the House of Representatives; the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola; Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje; Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Hakan Çakıland the President of the Trade Union Congress, Bobboi Kaigama, among others.
