Akwa Ibom targets 1,048 housing units, urban development

The Akwa Ibom State Government has acquired and earmarked about 150 hectares of land across six locations for housing development, with a total of 1,048 housing units currently at various stages of completion.

The Commissioner for Housing, Dr. Henry Archibong, who disclosed this, explained that the Ministry of Housing under the administration of Governor Umo Eno was implementing housing projects that go beyond roofing, to creating affordable, sustainable, eco-friendly and economically viable communities in line with the ARISE Agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11 on sustainable urban development.

He said, “The vision of the ministry is to become a model institution for effective service delivery by promoting operational efficiency and optimal use of resources to provide decent, quality and affordable housing.”

According to him, the statutory responsibilities of the ministry include formulation and implementation of policies for design, construction and maintenance of public buildings, development of residential housing policies, vetting and approval of building drawings and valuation of buildings for government purposes, as well as management of state-owned properties in Uyo, Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country.

The commissioner listed key ongoing projects to include Aviation Village Phase 1, Doctors’ Residence at Ibom Medical City, Executive and Legislative Quarters, Judiciary Quarters and the ARISE City Social and Affordable Housing Estate.

Giving a breakdown, Archibong said the Aviation village, sited on 15.072 square metres of fenced land, comprises 100 housing units – 50 two-bedroom and 50 three-bedroom apartments, and is 98% completed.

He said five units had been allocated to the Ministry of Aviation, while facilities in the estate include a model primary school, 70,000-litre water reticulation system, 7.13km road network, electrification, police station and solar-powered CCTV, adding that Governor Eno had directed that a secondary school be included in the second phase.

He said the Doctors’ Residence at Medical City, covering 11.8 hectares, comprises 50 three-bedroom bungalows and 50 terrace four-bedroom duplexes, with a model school and recreational facilities, and is 70% completed.

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The Judiciary Quarters located along Idongesit Nkanga Avenue, Ring Road 3, he said, occupies 6.3 hectares and comprises 50 four-bedroom duplexes with two boys’ quarters each, recreational centre and conference hall, and is 70 per cent completed.

Archibong listed other interventions by the administration to include 500 ARISE Compassionate Homes, of which 438 have been completed and delivered, 236 units of flats at Grace Estate with 150 allocated to civil servants, 35 units of duplexes at Ewet Luxury Garden and 31 residences for Local Government Chairmen under construction.

The commissioner said the housing projects were impacting the state economy, with between 5,000 and 6,000 persons benefiting directly and indirectly through employment and ancillary services, with daily earnings of between N7,000 and N12,000 for artisans and labourers.

“Housing is both a social intervention and an economic development tool. It is the single most important facilitator of economic growth,” he said.

Archibong also disclosed that Governor Eno had constituted a committee to give the Ewet Housing Estate a facelift and enhance its security architecture, adding that the committee had completed assessment and submitted its report.

He acknowledged that the housing deficit remained a challenge and that government alone could not address it, noting that the ministry was strengthening collaboration with mortgage institutions, professional bodies and private developers to improve housing finance and expand affordable housing supply.