Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki’s affordable housing programme has stirred a mild revolution in the state’s real estate sector, as increased confidence in the administration has led to a rush for units in the state government-backed 1800-unit Emotan Gardens housing project.

Emotan Gardens, an ambitious affordable real estate project, is being developed by the Edo Development and Property Agency (EDPA) and MIXTA Africa, a renowned real estate company in Africa.

Receiving interim report of the state government's outing at the 27th Edo National Association Worldwide (ENAW) Convention in Toronto, Canada, Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, expressed his delight at the endorsement of the Edo community in the diaspora for the housing project.

"I am glad that the Emotan Gardens project resonated with our people in the diaspora. We have several other projects in other sub-sectors of the state's economy that have been carefully designed to improve the wellbeing of all Edo people, irrespective of where they currently reside," the governor said.

Executive Chairman, EDPA, Isoken Omo, said since sales commenced for units in Emotan Gardens, the agency has been inundated with calls from different parts of the world, noting that the overwhelming response is as a result of the seamless and trustworthy mechanism set up to manage the process.

“The demand is pursuing the units available. It has mostly come from Edo people in the state and in the Diaspora, particularly at the just-concluded Edo National Association Worldwide (ENAW) convention in Canada, where Edo sons and daughters bought many units.

“The local diaspora, that is Edo people in other states of Nigeria, are also snapping up units. Non-indigenes from other states have joined in the rush for the houses. So, anyone who is yet to make their intention known should do so as soon as possible,” she urged.

She attributed the demand to the solid land reforms of the Obaseki-led administration; transparency in land allocation and collection of titles which is spearheaded by the Edo Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS) agency, and the absence of middlemen in the sales of the housing units in the Emotan Gardens project, as against the old system where those in the diaspora lost monies through friends and relatives.

According to her, “The confidence in this administration is one of the reasons for the impressive response we have received. There is also the assurance that monies invested in the project are being judiciously utilised due to the integrity of our partner, MIXTA Africa, as well as Governor Godwin Obaseki’s sincerity.”