By Biola Lawal
Sokoto (FLOWERBUDNEWS). The 15th National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development meeting has opened in Sokoto with a call on participants to evolve modalities to capture the teeming Nigerians in the informal sector of the nation’s economy for housing benefits.
The appeal was made on Monday by Hon. Barr. Nasiru Aliyu DanTsoho, Sokoto State’s Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Survey, and Town Planning while declaring the Council meeting open.
Hon. DanTsoho noted that the informal sector workers constitute a very high percentage of the country’s labour force and thus deserved to benefit from policies that hoped to deliver affordable shelters to Nigerians.
The Commissioner urged the national Council meeting to design and come up with framework that would effectively capture the informal workers, mostly artisans engaged in various trades and handworks.
Hon. DanTsoho also urged States and federal government to strengthen collaboration in the areas of housing policy implementation to ensure that benefits in the lands and housing sector got to the ordinary people too.
He cited the good example of Gov. Aliyu Sokoto of Sokoto State, whom he disclosed, had implemented policies that had eased land acquisition by citizens in the state.
Hon. DanTsoho particularly charged the Council to deliberate on ways or means to encourage financial institutions like the Federal Mortgage Bank to make adequate provisions for mortgage finance support to the informal sector workers.
The Council meeting is being attended by Commissioners for Lands and Housing from across the country as well as other stakeholders, including regulatory bodies and the Builders, Construction and Skilled Artisans Association of Nigeria (BACSAAN). (FLOWERBUDNEWS)
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Established by Hon. Biola Lawal, a former Acting Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), FLOWERBUDNEWS is a consortium of active veteran journalists, experienced Multimedia broadcast experts and image makers.
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Lawal, on his part, is also a former Honourable Commissioner for Information,Youth, Sports and Culture of Osun state, his home state.
Biola Lawal had also successfully served two tenures as Press Secretary to the ECOMOG Force Commander in Liberia during the Liberian and Sierra Leone Civil wars. He was an outstanding NAN Defence and War Correspondent for many years.
The retired NAN Acting Boss holds the honour of being the only journalist that served two terms on the ECOMOG international assignment due to his high professionalism, maturity on the job and decency.
As ECOMOG Press Secretary, Biola Lawal served late Lt.-Gen. Victor Malu. late Maj.Gen. Rufus Kupolati, Late. Maj.-Gen. Ishaya Bakut and (briefly), late Brig.-Gen. Idowu Adetunji Olurin.
He is a Co-Author of the book; ECOMOG; A BOLD ATTEMPT AT REGIONAL PEACEKEEPING! Edited Mrs Magaret Vogt. The book remains the most. factual, detailed and authentic naration on the ECOWAS sponsored ECOMOG Military operation.
