I’ll tackle housing deficit – Lagos NDC gov candidate

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The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Lagos State, Funso Doherty, has said he will address the housing deficit if elected governor.

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Doherty said he had a radical approach to housing, saying it would go beyond the construction of the few hundred housing units delivered by successive administrations in the state through partnerships with the private sector.

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He made the pledge during a visitation tour to NDC stakeholders in the Alimosho Local Government Area on Saturday.

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“We have a radical approach to housing that expects to deliver a much greater number of homes than we have seen. We are not talking about the 100 units that we have been seeing. We are talking about units in the tens of thousands.

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“To do that, there are a number of things you must do, and each of those pieces has to work together to deliver it. One is that you must have the right land allocation, with priority given to that purpose.”

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“The government has to provide institutional support that may take the form of guarantees. It may take the form of operating secondary mortgage finance institutions. These are some of the things that government can step in to provide,” he said.

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According to him, when the government provides the backbone for the industry, private capital will come, saying government itself cannot provide all the funds that are required.

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“But what government can do is provide a backing framework and institutional environment that gives providers of capital the comfort to come in and fund,” Doherty added.

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Speaking further, the governorship candidate promised to run an inclusive and people-centred government if elected in 2027.

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According to Doherty, his administration would focus on programmes aimed at improving the lives of residents of the state.

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“Lagos people should expect a government that is much more people-centred in its approach to governance. A Lagos that is more inclusive, a government that prioritises the lives of the people, whether you measure that in terms of the educational options that they have, the quality of education they receive in public schools, the quality of healthcare they can access in government facilities, the quality of transportation that they ride on a day-to-day basis, or the quality of housing options that they have.

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“These are the things that affect the ordinary citizen. This is what governance is all about. It is about the welfare and security of the people. Therefore, you must measure the outcome of governance by the experience of the people.

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“That is why we will be bringing a people-centred government so that, at the end of our time in government, people will be able to look back and say the quality of people’s lives improved significantly,” he added.

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In his welcome address, the NDC Chairman in Alimosho Local Government Area, Pius Omodarantan, assured the governorship candidate of the party’s readiness to mobilise support for its victory in 2027.

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He said, “We will do everything possible and lawful together to deliver Alimosho for NDC.”

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