Varsity don canvasses pro-poor housing policy

By Bukola Olamona
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A university scholar, Professor Afolabi Aribigbola has strongly canvassed a pro-poor housing policy as a remedy to the nation’ predominant urban development predicament.

Aribigbola stated this yesterday while delivering the 13th inaugural lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University.

The scholar who is a professor of Urban and Regional Planning also harped on the need to strengthen the housing and urban development policy to accommodate households’ social demographic characteristics.

To resolve the quandary in housing and urban development in Nigeria, he opined that there is an urgent need for pro-poor housing and urban development policies.

His formula, “essentially calls for the introduction of social housing scheme to take care of the needy that cannot take care of their housing needs. The social housing scheme must be vigorously pursued for the sake of the vulnerable that are in majority in the country. It will help significantly by removing the serious disconnect between policy intention and actual housing delivery realities of housing situations of urban dwellers in Nigeria.”

The Inaugural Lecturer expressed concerns over the present approach and policy which allowed unfettered market forces in determining housing consumption.

He maintained that the policy would not achieve the desired results of access to decent, safe and affordable housing for all Nigerians.

He said the required housing policy must seek to expand housing provision that would meet the needs of urban dwellers in terms of quality and size, and create conducive avenues to increase the supply of housing units and ancillary facilities in the urban centres in order to eliminate the current housing shortage in the country.

According to him:”the social housing scheme must be vigorously pursued for the sake of the vulnerable that are majority in the country” he stated

The Don, while describing as a serious anomaly the absence of up-to-date statewide plans and city master plans to guide, direct and control urban development in the country, which must be urgently addressed, said master plans must be prepared for all the cities in the country to ensure their orderly development and the welfare of urban inhabitants.

He said concerted efforts should be made to encourage and promote rental housing in the country.

“So far, existing policies did not deal with this important housing tenure, yet majority of Nigerians depends on rental housing especially from the private sector.

“There should be concerted efforts to increase and improve rental housing from the public source” he added.

In line with the global best practices, the Inaugural Lecturer called for decentralisation of state planning machinery which empowered state governments to control the use and planning of lands, noting that the all stakeholders, including the local government councils must be involved in society affairs.

Earlier, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration,Prof. Olugbenga Ige, who represented the VC, Prof Igbekele Ajibefun described Inaugural Lecture as a once-in-a-life-time endeavour for the lecturer, and an opportunity for the university to showcase one of its numerous academic achievements, researches, innovations through its academic staff who has attained professorial cadre.

In an interview with a participant , Mr Oguntinuade Dare, he said the professor has educated the audience on how housing should be done as most of the duties of the government in all tiers are been neglected.

According to him, government should   provide housing and allow people to access it at a lesser price like in the other climes as most of the salaries that workers earn are expended on housing thereby impoverishing them.

Among the important personalities at the lecture were” a former Ondo state Permanent secretary ,Mr Adedeji Akinwalere, the Awosunye of Atosin -Idanre , His royal majesty, Oba Gilbert Ogunlowo, wife of former Nigerian Chief of Defence and Army Staff, Princess Iwayemi Ogomudia , lecturers, royal fathers, well wishers and academics.