The Kano State government has disclosed plan to build 5,000 housing units for teachers in public primary and secondary schools in the state.
While disclosing this on Saturday December 12, 2020, the state Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, stated that scheme is aimed at providing “permanent accommodation” for teachers after retirement.
According to the governor, the scheme, which is tagged ‘Teachers Reserved Area (TRA), will be jointly implemented by the state government, Family Homes Funds, and the Federal Mortgage Bank.
Ganduje explained that 36 local governments, which are in rural areas, will have 100 housing units each.
Eight metropolitan councils will have 150 housing units each. There are 44 local government areas in Kano.
The governor said the state government would provide land and other basic facilities like electricity, water, and roads while other aspects would be handled by the partners.
The governor pointed out that participation in the scheme, which would commence next month, is optional and beneficiaries must pay for the houses, although, in easy installments.
“My administration is concerned about ensuring affordability and access to houses for teachers so that they shouldn’t become destitute when they retire from active service,” said Ganduje.
A statement by the Government House Director-General, Media and Public Relations, Ameen Yassar, said a technical committee, under the leadership of the State Policy Coordination and Policy Implementation Directorate, Alh. Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi, had been set up to fashion out modalities for smooth implementation of the teachers’ housing scheme.
Alh. Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi, who chairs the committee for the project, said the teacher’s housing scheme will complement the Kano State Free and Compulsory Education Policy.
He stated that the last time houses were built for teachers in Kano was during the days of the Native Authority.
Bichi said the state government would source additional funds from federal financial institutions to execute the project.
A representative of Family Homes Funds, Engr. Musa Shu’aibu Mukhtar, said the project would create jobs, in addition to providing decent accommodation for teachers.
