By SALISU SANI-IDRIS

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, says Nigeria requires N21 trillion to effectively bridge housing deficit, despite efforts across the three tiers governments.

The vice president stated this on Sunday in Sokoto at the groundbreaking for the construction of a 500-unit housing estate by the State government.

Shettima, who commended Gov. Ahmed Aliyu for his efforts to address the housing needs of his people, noted that the housing deficit in Nigeria remained a huge challenge.

“Nigeria has a deficit of 28 million houses and we will need N21 trillion to meet our housing needs. This step taken by the Governor is highly commendable and worthy of emulation by other State governments.

“The governor has started well by completing the roads and flyovers he inherited,” he added.

Earlier, the governor explained that the housing estate would be for civil servants and would be sold to them when completed on an owner-occupier basis.

Aliyu said: “This is a project that was initiated by the former Governor of the State, Aliyu Wamakko but was later abandoned by the immediate past administration.

“But, we are determined to complete it for the benefit of our workers and the general public.”

Aliyu disclosed that the project located at Wamakko Local Government Area of the State will cost the State government N7.3 billion to complete.

The event, which was to mark the first 100 days in office by the administration was attended by Sen. Aliyu Wamakko and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari.

Others were the Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, Alhaji Bello Goronyo and former Deputy Governors of Sokoto, Mukhtari Shagari and Chiso Abdullahi-Dattijo, among others. (NAN)

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