NHA Targets 512,000 Housing Units

-By 2030; Opens National Housing Forum In Monrovia

By Mark N. Mengonfia

The National Housing Authority says it is targeting the total of 512,000 Housing Units by 2030. The disclosure was made on Wednesday at the start of a three- day National Housing Forum which is being held under the theme” Providing Housing For The People is our Priority”.

Speaking during the opening program, the Managing Director of the NHA, Celia Cuffey-Brown said they have been making efforts to ensure that the living standards of Liberians improve through the provision of affordable housing units.

She said “to date, the NHA has managed to construct 2,180 housing units across Liberia”.

The NHA Managing Director went on to say “the current national housing demand by 2030 is projected at 512,000 units at a rate of 30,000 new housing annually and 144,00 requiring renovation”.

She indicated that it is too far away from National Housing Authority’s current delivery capacity rate of only 2,180 housing units over last decades.

According to her, they at the NHA have shifted from a conventional housing delivery approach that will deliver practical housing solutions from affluent, middle income, and low income earners.

“This administration has been able to commence the constitution of 5000 housing units along the Monrovia – Roberts field Highway,” she added.

She said”a total of 61,000 is to be delivered within a five-year period. A milestone that is highest since the establishment of NHA within a time frame of 3 months”.

The NHA boss indicated “but with time, the NHA can increase housing interventions with the inclusion of housing and mortgage finance solutions, low housing income scheme, and housing affordability”.

Madam Celia Brown told the gathering that it is intended to attract major stakeholders that will shift the dimension of housing in Liberia.

She said stakeholders such as banking institutions who provide housing and mortgage finance to aid in the process if acquiring homes and also to attract and facilitate investors on why and how they can invest in Liberia.

“The coming together of statutory Land Commissions to create awareness among our local government and the need for land, corporate officers who employees are middle income earners to create subsidies from their respective corporations in the facilitations of housing loans,” she added.

The opening program of the three-day event was anticipated to have been attended by Liberian President George M. Weah, Public Works Minister Mobutu VlahNypan who chairs the board of Director of NHA, Nathaniel R. Patray, Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia but didn’t show out at the program, although the organizers did not say why the president and other important invitees didn’t come as planned.

However, the program was attended by other international partners including Mr. GerarBolly, CEO of Eba based in Belgium, Madam ZagreKady, CEO SOCOSAF, Burkina Faso, Domenico Oppido, Dr. CEO Madam Fiancoiso of Benin.

The potential investors of the NHA during the program promised their willingness to invest in Liberia.

The international partners who spoke during the program made known to their Liberian counterparts that they seek good partnership with Liberia.