Lands minister instructs NHC to construct low-cost houses

Dodoma. The Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Mr William Lukuvi, has directed the National Housing Corporation (NHC) to construct more low-cost housing units.

Mr Lukuvi gave the directive this week while on a visit to inspect a special project on low-cost houses by Vicoba Groups Union Tanzania (Viguta) at Iyumbu in the fringes of Dodoma Municipality

According to the minister, most real estate developers are not keen on constructing low-cost houses that match the financial capacity of most Tanzanians.

“There is not a single developer that has made attempts to construct low-cost houses for low-income earners, but now that government is relocating to Dodoma, NHC must make sure that it constructs thousands of affordable houses here,” he said. He directed NHC’s Dodoma Regional Manager, Mr Joseph John, to come up with plans of how to construct low cost houses in the region in order to facilitate smooth relocation of civil servants.

Responding to the minister’s directive Mr John said that as part of the initiative, NHC was already implementing a major project which involves the construction of 300 new houses in Dodoma.

“We have a project that is already underway at Iyumbu, some 12km from the municipality. In the first phase, we are planning to construct 300 houses,” he said.

Without divulging the cost involved in the project, Mr John said that NHC was also searching for more chunks of land for a similar project as part of their commitment towards delivering quality housing in the country’s capital.

“In Iyumbu area we have secured about 236 acres, after completion of the first 300 houses, we shall embark on the second phase, one that will see construction of more houses,” he added.

According to Mr John, the first phase which will see the construction of 300 houses covers only 30 acres, leaving the remaining 206 acres for the construction of more houses during the second phase of the project.

“You know as the government relocates, there is an increased demand for residential house by civil servants, traders and that is why we are implementing this project as early as possible,” he said.