July 22, 2007

Nigerians are to benefit from a housing project, which will enable them to have a 35-year mortgage facility, under a housing project of the City of Refuge Ministries International.

The head of the ministry, Ossai E. Ossai, said this during a news briefing in

Lagos on Saturday.

He said his organisation was wooing foreign partners who had interest in having a massive housing project with housing facilities and infrastructure that were comparable to any advanced country.

He said he would bring foreign partners to assess the vast investment opportunities in the country.

He said, “By the time they come, I will show them round the nation, by the time they see how large and the potential in this country, they will swoop on the economy with their large investment portfolio.

“They will surely come. They are raising the issue of the security of investment. But I have allayed their fears. They are anxious to invest given the high returns on investment in the economy.”

He said that the housing scheme was a very decent one that would be affordable.

He said, “Every Nigerian wants a decent housing, if we can space the payment over 35 years, instead of paying the exorbitant rents we pay, people will rush the houses.

He noted that corruption had hampered economic and housing policies and also the development and the realisation of laudable housing programmes in the nation.

Ossai said there should be neat and good environment through good urban planning and education of people.

He added that to boost economic development and shelter provision, there should be a full scale war on corruption.

He said the fight should translate to prosecution and preventive measures thro-ugh the provision of necessary amenities, payment of good salaries and the institutionalisation of good pension and retirement packages for Nigerian workers.

He said religious organisations should also be actively involved in housing projects and the provision of social amenities to improve the living standards of the people.

He said that people with credible records and good management abilities should be entrusted with housing and other economic projects for a meaningful impact.