Business News of Thursday, 21 March 2013

Source: B&FT

Passage of housing bill necessary – SPL boss

Gershon Odai, Marketing Manager of Safeway Properties Limited (SPL), an estate development agency, has urged government to pass a housing bill to regulate improve standards in the housing industry.

“There is no housing bill to regulate the industry so anybody at all can enter into the industry to operate.”

He therefore said there is the need to pass a law to regulate the industry and also encourage the formation of property management companies for such facilities to install discipline in the industry.

Mr Odai said as an estate agency, it operates with high standards taking into consideration the safety of the environment, saying the introduction of the bill will make all estate agencies conform to the quality standards the industry demands.

He said in lined with its vision to become the most revered provider of housing and investment opportunities in West Africa, the company is bringing into the industry a system that is mechanised and cost- effective.

“We do this by continuously using modern and safest technology in our projects, building confidence in our customers, creating a passion for excellence in our employees, and providing a taste of good life to society.”

He said an attempt by his firm to support the government solve the housing problem in the country they have partnered EFCO a company in the United State and have constructed 144 houses.

It is reckoned that government in its bid to solve the housing problem in the country will have to produce a minimum of 150,000 houses a year to meet the housing demand.

Speaking on how the demand can be met he advised that government boost the capacity of construction firms which already have artisans and technology by awarding major contracts to the local constructors instead of foreign ones.