FG to build 1m shelters for the poor and vulnerable across Nigeria

…each shelter to cost 3m naira – Humanitarian Minister

Federal government says plans are underway to build one million shelters for the poor, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees in the country.

According to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, each of the shelters will cost three million naira.

Speaking to journalists while inspecting a completed sample of the building in the Idu industrial area in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Minister said the shelters will be built in areas where there are IDPs and extremely poor people across the country.

The Minister said these shelters will come in one and two bedroom flats and will be built for by the people of the community.

“Government intends to build a million shelter across Nigeria for poor, Internally Displaced Persons and refugees which invariably translate to providing shelter to about 5 million Nigerians.

“Each of these shelter were budgeted at 3 million naira to get them completed and off course this is partly reflected in our budget for 2024, and if you recall the federal government had just approved the humanitarian trust fund which has 30 percent donation from the government and the remaining 70 percent are from the private sector and donor agencies, development partners and philanthropic individuals amongst others”, she said.

Describing the prototype of the building, she said, “We have to immediately carry out sample of what this shelters will look like so we have two of them. One, is one bedroom and the second one is two bedroom flats.

“What also interesting about it is that we want to introduce the solar system so that this shelter for the poor, vulnerable, refugees and Internally Displaced Persons are not dependent on the national grid but can at least use the solar system to take care of the basic electrical needs such as lights, charging of phones and basic ironing.

“So we are here to inspect and officially take over the one bedroom and two bedroom that had been built as samples for the shelter program under the ministry of humanitarian Affairs and poverty Alleviation.

“Remember that we are dealing with multi dimensional poverty, and parts of the dimensions is the fact that the people do not have a proper shelter over their heads.

“We went to Benue and we saw millions of people who had been displaced and are staying in a shelter that is very tight and this is a family of six or five living in that little water proof house. When it rains, it rain on them, when the sun comes down it shun on them and their little children which is totally unacceptable. And that is why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that we should help this communities and build dignified homes that are built by themselves, this is not going to be built by a contractor, it’s the community that is going to build by themselves, and by way they’ll be empowered, we are training the young people on building skills to be part of it, we also give them the dignity of building the house they will live in.

“This is what will give the community that ownership of the project, by so doing they’ll not vandalize it or destroy it. At the same time it gives them the economic power. Because as they build they are being paid, like those who brought water, cement, sand from the sea, those who cut the wood from the bush were all paid, so that locality or village gets the support need to build themselves up economically. So it’s both economic empowerment, skills empowerment and most importantly provide shelter for those without shelter”.

She stated that the project which already began in Benue state will be done in Borno, Zamfara, Adamawa, Yobe and other areas where there are IDPs, refugees and poor and vulnerable people.

“They have already done the ground breaking in Benue state, and as we speak, they have completed the clearing of about 10 hectares, giving for the building of the 40 houses.

“The borehole that will supply water to the building is ongoing, thereafter the setting and laying of foundation for the building.

“It is easy to build, this was built basically in 10days . And we want to see how we can put more speed because a lots of IDPs exist in different parts of Nigeria and they need shelter as soon as possible”, she added.