Date: 2017-03-20

A new settlement that include a free-of-charge 5,000 housing units planned to be constructed with N78billion in each of the 36 states of the federation by the Africa Nations Development Programme (ANDP) has commenced in Kwara State.

The ANDP, a subsidiary of the World Nation Development Initiatives brought the project to the state after it kick started the nationwide programme in Cross River state. The project, according to the Director General of the ANDP in Africa, Ambassador Samson Omojuyigbe, is meant for the benefit of the less privileged whose welfare he said the organization was concerned about.

Omojuyigbe, while speaking at the ground breaking ceremony of the project at Ajase-Ipo in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State explained that apart from the housing units of 2-bedroom flat each, the settlements also include schools, police stations, markets and hospitals and other facilities that could make life more comfortable for the beneficiaries.

The ANDP boss, who said that his organisation was making its impact felt in 50 African countries, added that the body was investing a huge amount of money on the project because it desired to complement efforts of the government in alleviating plight of the poor in the African society.

"Based on the circumstances in which they have found themselves and the less and less resources available to governments, it is obvious that the various governments at all levels in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, cannot provide everything for the people.

"Public-spirited individuals and organisations with the right heart must come to the rescue of the people if we must secure the future, ensure peace and provide a decent lifestyle for coming generations," he said.

Also speaking, the Country Director of the ANDP, Mr Thomas Ajikwa, said that the project in Kwara State was a partnership between the state government and the ANDP, adding that while the government provided the land the organisation funded the construction of the settlement.

Ajikwa, who emphasised that the project was designed for the benefit of the less privileged, said that the organisation had already compiled list of the would-be beneficiaries in the state with a process that ensure that those only the targeted people benefited.

He said that in order to guide against defeating the purpose of the programme there was a restrictive covenant that disallows a beneficiary of the house gift from selling or mortgaging the house.

The ANDP director who said that the organisation would manage the settlements for 75years added that when a beneficiary in a settlement moves out to elsewhere without transferring the house to someone in his lineage entitled to inherit it, the ANDP would reallocate it to a new beneficiary.

Also speaking, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said the government in order to ensure all parts of the state enjoyed benefit of the project, rearranged with ANDP that the settlement should be spread across seven communities in the state instead of a single area it was meant to be concentrated initially.

The governor disclosed that 500 of the housing units would be cited in Ajase-Ipo and Offa, 500 communities each in Ilesha-Baruba, Lafiagi, Share, and Osi communities while Ilorin, the state capital would be provided with 2, 000.

He said that compensation for land acquired for the projects was being worked out and assured that it would be paid to those entitled to receive it as soon as the arrangement was concluded.