Residents of Port Harcourt in Rivers State, have called on the state government to intervene in the high cost of housing in the city.

The residents told our correspondent that unless something was done urgently by the government to address astronomical cost of housing in the state, some of them might be forced to relocate to the suburbs or out of the capital.

It was learnt that rent offered for a one room “self-contained’’ apartment is between N150, 000 and N200, 000 per annum while a one-bedroom flat costs N250, 000 to N350, 000 per annum, depending on the location.

Two-bedroom apartment, investigation revealed is offered for rent at between N400, 000 and N500, 000 per annum.

One of the residents, Mr Kelvin Onwuka, lamented that house rent in the city was fast getting out of the reach of public servants, saying that it was becoming increasingly difficult for government employees to live in good houses.

Onwuka, a civil servant said that housing was a critical social service issue and called on the Federal Government to enact laws that would regulate housing, especially rents in the country.

“Cost of accommodation in Port Harcourt is increasing by the day and it is becoming worrisome. It is high time the Federal Government made laws to control house rents and other housing issues in the country.

“Here, in Port Harcourt, the government should have a mutual understanding with landlords on what rent should be so that it can be affordable,” he said.

Another resident, Mrs Chinelo Friday, attributed the high cost of housing in the state capital to roles played by housing agents and greedy landlords.

She said that aside from the high monthly rent charged in the city, agents and some landlords demand two to three years advance payment for apartments.

A housing agent, Mr Bernard Chinda, called for a law to check the high cost of housing in the country, saying that this should be done urgently.

He said that average public servants in big cities, including Port Harcourt were suffering.

“The problem here is that the popular ‘face-me, I-face-you’ apartments are no longer in vogue; most houses have been transformed to modern structures.

“People believe that housing agents are responsible for the increasing cost of house rent in the city but that is not true because rent for an apartment cannot be beyond rate fixed by a landlord,” Chinda said.