Town Planners Task Professionals On Estates Ownership

As part of solutions to address the housing shortage for workers, especially in Port Harcourt and its environs, the Nigerian Institute of Town Planning (NITP) has called on professional bodies and unions to take  bold steps and develop their own estates instead of waiting for government or estate developers for such venture.

Making this known in a chat with The Tide in Port Harcourt, the Chairman of NITP, Rivers State chapter, Mr. Opiriba Ikiriko said that time has come when workers’ unions and professional groups in Rivers State should come together to contribute resources and jointly execute development projects.

Mr. Ikiriko cited an example of the step recently taken by a union in one of the higher institutions in Rivers State towards building their own houses by themselves without a developer.

In his explanation, Ikiriko said that members of the union agreed to pay certain percentage of their salaries as contribution to the project, and that already, they have acquired a large portion of land within Obio/Akpor axis for their housing estate, where the least person has at least a plot of land.

He said when workers come together for the purpose of development, they can even approach the state government to provide land for them in bulk, while they make the payment on an agreed terms.

The town planning boss also remarked that such groups and associations can also acquire such land, and make a presentation to the government for assistance in the area of building access roads and other infrastructure that will make life easier in the area.

Mr. Ikiriko, therefore urged unions and professional associations to wake up and begin to tackle the issue of housing shortage, pointing out that in a very short time, the difference will be seen.