IMO:

GOVT TO PROVIDE 1000 HOUSING UNITS FOR LOW INCOME EARNERS

By Obiaku Lancelot Ifeanyi

The Board Chairman of the Imo State Housing Corporation (ISHC), Hon. Raymond Emeana, has stated the readiness of the state government to providing affordable housing for the middle class and low income earners in the state.

Emeana, who spoke in Owerri while inaugurating various task and fact finding committees set up by the corporation, recently, revealed that the state governor, Emeka Ihedioha, would soon flag off the construction of 1000 housing units across the state.

The committees include, Staff Audit Committee, Income and Expenditure Committee (2011 to date), Schemes and Layout Committee, Imo Housing Corporation Estates and Layouts Review Committee.

Others are, Imo Housing Corporation Law Review Committee and Committee on Ground Breaking Ceremony for 100 days of the governor.

The chairman who said that ISHC had been nonfunctional, assured that under its present leadership, the corporation will be transformed into one that will live up to the law that established it.

Emeana bemoaned the lack of documentation and records of private and government owned estates in the state, a situation he blamed on the last administration.

He revealed that the management of ISHC inherited fifty million naira (N50m) debt profile, five month workers' salary arrears, and over 70 court cases leading to the garnishing of the corporation's account.

"We inherited a corporation that has no record whatsoever as to who owns some of the completed and uncompleted estates in Owerri and environs. We had a situation whereby lands are acquired, estates built and sold out without a dime being paid into the government's coffers through the corporation", Emeana said.

"The corporation was run from hotel rooms. As we speak, the last general manager has not handed over vital documents to the new one.

"The corporation was nonfunctional. We met five months salary arrears, 50 million debt profile and over 70 court cases. The corporation's account which had only about 1.2 million naira was also garnished by the courts.

"It is a daunting task but we will create a corporation that will live up to the law that established. We have the mandate of the governor to provide affordable housing for the middle class and low income earners", he concluded.

The general manager of ISHC, Arch. Chidi Okoli, said a lot of work has to be done to revive the corporation.

Emeka Ihedioha is the most performing Governor after Makinde