HOMES FIT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY

                                           HOMES FIT FOR HUMAN DIGNITY

“… houses small and without, foundations, subdivided and often around unpaved courts. An almost total lack of drainage and sewerage was made worse by the excavation of brick earth. Pigs and cows in back yards, noxious trades like boiling tripe, melting tallow, or preparing cat’s meat, and slaughter houses, dust heaps, and “lakes of putrefying night soil” added to filth” – Henry Mayhew.

 It is not far-fetched to state that the problem of housing is not peculiar to Nigeria. But, do we fold our arms as a country and allow the ‘general problem syndrome’ submerge us. It is pertinent to realize that solving the housing deficit in a country reduces the world’s problem in the global housing sector.

Nigeria, which has the largest population in Africa, rated as the 8^th in the world and also accounts for 47% of West Africa’s population, has been grappling with this unsolved situation of housing deficit. It has been estimated that Nigeria has about 18 million housing deficit with a 177.5 million population and GDP of 568.5 billion dollars. 

Nigeria, whose soil is embedded with the richest mineral resources in the world, has about 60% of her population either living in overpopulated homes, substandard homes or in sheds built with dried grass, plastics etc. It is a pathetic case that even in urban societies; Nigerians live in slums, in homes that are not fit for human habitation.

 

The Nigerian government has of-course been planting great seeds of policies in the housing sector to reduce the problem of homelessness and under quality housing in Nigeria. These policies have empowered the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the Real Estate Development Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Building Materials Producers Association of Nigeria (BUMPAN). The policies were proclaimed to be aimed at solving the problems associated with homelessness, inferior quality housing and unaffordable housing.

Over the years, it has been a case of different administrations with different policies, yet many Nigerians are either homeless or reside in life risking homes. However, in recent times, the Nigerian government seem to have really been implementing its housing policies. There are physical evidences in urban areas as well as some rural environments. Modern houses are springing up, builders are constructing with novel ideas and quality materials, such as bricks, concrete, among others. With the resurrection of the land use act and PPP between both Federal and State government and Private Investors, the real Estates business is booming and boosting the economy.  But with these result from the housing policies, have they been serving their purpose of solving the problems they have been created for?

Considering the issues opposing these policies, issues such as expensive property registration, high cost of housing construction, few access to mortgage finance among others, it is as though the policies have only been working for the upper class community and a few in the middle class. It is such a vicious circle! 

In Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Ibadan for instance, there have been a constant rise in home sales and lease prices in the last few years. Homes are built by the upper class and are purchased by the upper middle class who already have enough houses.  A lot of these houses are in turn leased out at exorbitant prices. Hence, the lower class community holds on to its undignified homes or even nothing at all.

        

Unsafe and undignified homes are therefore a subject that needs urgent ‘change’ in Nigeria. If truly‘Change has come’, then it should reflect on the housing sector in Nigeria. According to the 1991 constitution (Chapter 4, Section 34, SS 1, article a), every Nigerian is entitled to a home fit for human dignity. 

The lower class Nigerians are entitled to have access to mortgage. Sincere affordable housing should be provided for the low income earners. A check should be placed on gluttonous property acquisition and unrealistic lease or rent rates. Otherwise, the housing policies in Nigeria would have produced undemocratic and one – sided result. It is time for all Nigerians to have a humane life and live in dignified homes.