The Vice President of Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Mr Kenneth Nduka, says Federal Government should adopt Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach to  solve the nation’s housing problem.
Nduka gave the suggestion in an interview with newsmen in Lagos yesterday.
He said that effective partnership between the government and the private sector could solve the housing challenge in the country.
He said that the environment was not favourable to private operators as the few private companies and individuals in the property sector were not doing much due to lack of encouragement from the government.
“For public-private partnership to work and yield results, government must be ready to provide the necessary enabling environment that will guarantee smooth operation for private operators.
“Introduction of a realistic building regulatory framework, reviewing the Land Use Act of 1978, provision of a viable mortgage system and credit facilities are some of the factors that can make a conducive environment for private sector to strive,” he said.
According to him, either the private sector or the government alone cannot solve the housing problem, but collective efforts and partnership can make accommodation challenge to become a forgotten issue.
“If government provides all the necessary facilities, it will be left for the private sector to provide the technical know-how of how the PPP will work, which I know will not be a problem,” Nduka said.
Nduka suggested that the government could acquire large hectares of land and give them to private individuals to develop and build houses.