President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, commissioned work to start on a 250-housing unit project in Ekpene Ukim, Uruan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom.

At the ceremony, Mr Tinubu said the project was part of his administration’s Renewed Hope Cities and Estates programmes.

Represented by Ahmed Dangiwa, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Tinubu stated that the project’s implementation stage would create massive job opportunities for youths.

“This project will create no fewer than 6,500 construction sector-based jobs for architects, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, manson, plumbers, tilers, and electricians, among others.

“Today’s ceremony is a continuation of the nationwide groundbreaking exercise for housing projects under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme of the Federal Government.

“The current administration plans to deliver no fewer than 50,000 housing units across the federation under the first phase of this programme,” he said.

The president said the housing programme was intended to provide shelter, uplift lives, create jobs and boost economic development in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Recall that during the presidential kickoff of the programme in Abuja, we embarked on the first leg of this exercise with the groundbreaking of 1,500 housing units in northern Nigeria.

“This includes 250 housing units in each Renewed Hope Estate in Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, and Sokoto states. It also includes a 500-housing unit Renewed Hope City in Kano.

“Work is currently ongoing in each of these sites. Our intention is to complete work on these projects within three months. We have zero tolerance for delays as far as this programme is concerned,” he said.

Mr Tinubu urged the developers, Messrs Trust Global Limited, Springwell Intercontinental Resources, and Hyousungs Limited, to ensure the estates were built according to specifications.

Earlier, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom described the housing project as a good omen to the state and urged the developers to ensure expertise and commitment in its delivery.

Represented by the Head of Service, Effiong Essien, Mr Eno said the state government understood the importance of housing to the wellbeing of the populace.

“As a government, we have constructed 250 housing units for workers; we are also building compassionate homes for the less privileged in the state,” he said.

(NAN)