Civil servants have been allocated 150 housing units of the 236 deluxe apartments free of charge at the Grace Estate in Ibiono Ibom and Ikono local government councils of Akwa Ibom State.
Governor Umo Eno announced the allotment of the houses during the inauguration of the Housing Estate and also inaugurated 36 units of two bedroom bungalows for indigent families across the State, just as he approvied the construction of 164 houses to complete the 200 targeted for his first two years, and 400 for his first term in office.
Inaugurating the Grace Estate located in Ibiono Ibom and Ikono local government areas, Governor Eno clarified that the 150 housing units for civil servants of between Grade Levels 01 and 08, would be allotted to beneficiaries through a very fair and transparent lottery process in public glare on-a-soon-to-be- announced date by a Committee led by the Head of Civil Service.
This, he said, was in line with his Administration’s resolve to improve the living standard of Akwa Ibom workers through the provision of affordable shelter under the low and medium housing scheme.
The governor revealed plans to increase the units on the two housing estates within the Ibiono Ibom – Ikono axis and directed immediate construction of a Police Station, Model Primary School, Model Health Centre, Mini Market and Recreational facilities to enhance the living conditions of residents in the estate which he explained will be a mini community.
He assured the Akwa Ibomites of more impactful projects in the area, including the construction of Use Ikot Amama and Ikpanya roads as well as the Ibiono Ibom General Hospital, with a charge on youths to support project execution in their areas.
“Today, we are commissioning 236 units of two bedroom deluxe apartments. 150 of these units will be given to Civil Servants from grade levels 01 to 08. The Head of Civil Service must ensure that only people from levels 01 to 08 express intention and cannot do that expression more than once.
“This will be done through a raffle draw because we don’t want anything to be put under the table. For expression of interest you will pay N50, 000 (fifty thousand naira). When you pay, you will collect a form. We are going to set a day within the next one month, we will all gather at the amphitheatre. Everybody who had bought the form will have a form number. We will put those numbers openly and we will conduct a draw.
“We want to throw it open to everybody. I will have no slot here, nobody will have slot here, when you win a house, you win a house and that is the end of the matter,” the Governor said.