BY Henry Agbu,  Jalingo

The Taraba State Government has appealed to the Federal Government to expand the National Housing Programme across the state following the handover of 188 Muhammadu Buhari Housing Units completed under the initiative.

Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, made the appeal in Jalingo while receiving the completed housing units from the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, who led the handover ceremony.

Governor Kefas said the state government was ready to provide additional land to support further housing developments, stressing that increased investment in the sector would complement efforts to provide decent and affordable accommodation for Nigerians.

He described the 188 housing units as particularly timely, noting that the facilities would help address the accommodation needs of personnel attached to newly established military formations in the state.

The governor assured the minister that Taraba had sufficient land to support large-scale housing projects and urged the Federal Government to consider extending the housing programme to other parts of the state.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, said the decision to hand over completed housing estates to state governments was aimed at ensuring that the facilities were occupied and put to productive use.

He explained that the ministry’s responsibility extended beyond the construction of houses to ensuring that Nigerians derived tangible benefits from the projects.

According to the minister, Taraba was the first state to respond to the ministry’s call for the takeover of completed housing units, describing the development as a demonstration of the state government’s commitment to putting the facilities to effective use.

Darma also disclosed that the Federal Government was developing a social housing initiative aimed at making affordable accommodation accessible to a greater number of Nigerians.