Expert UrgesAccurate Data On Housing

The Executive Secretary, Lagos Chapter of Nigerian Institute of Building, Mr Fadil Elegbede,   on Thursday said that Nigeria needed accurate information to solve its housing problems..

Elegbede told newsmen in Lagos that adequate data would enable the government know the number of people living in available houses.

“The data will reveal the number of old and new houses; the number that needed to be demolished and the number that require renovation.

“The data should capture the dependant and the independent class, the needy, the working class, the number of people with and without accommodation, among others,” he said.

Elegbede said that at no time had the population census provided such information, adding that past census exercises only revealed the number of persons in the country.

According to him, there is no data on housing of this kind that the government can work with.

“For instance, knowing the number of people in schools, the government will in the next five years know the number of students the will graduate, get work and that will be looking for accommodation.