Hardship: Ex-LP guber candidate, Oko Eze urges Nwifuru to develop low-cost housing estates for workers in Ebonyi

….calls for immediate implementation of a House Rent Control law.

Uchenna Okeh, Abakaliki

The former governorship candidate of Labour Party, LP, in the last 2023 general election, Mr. Splendour Oko Eze, has advocated for the immediate implementation of a House Rent Control law in Ebonyi capital city.

Oko Eze who made this known through in a statement signed and issued to newsmen in Abakaliki, decried the Soaring Rent Crisis in Abakaliki Capital City.

He called for the urgent intervention of the state governor, Francis Nwifuru, to avert deepening the hardships and sufferings of the citizens in the state.

The statement reads in part: “This call to action aims to address the astronomical increases in rents and promote affordable housing for the city’s residents. A detailed analysis of the situation reveals the dire need for government intervention.

“The capital city of Ebonyi State, encompassing Abakaliki, Ebonyi Izzi, and Ohaukwu LGAs, is currently grappling with indiscriminate and exorbitant rent hikes that demand immediate attention from the government.

“Localities such as Mile 50, Ogbaga road, water works, hilltop, ogoja road, Afikpo road, ugwuechera, Presco, Nkaliki, Hatchery road, Odunukwe, and their surrounding areas are witnessing incomprehensible rental rates. Shockingly, a room self-contained now commands a staggering N300k – N400k, while a three-bedroom flat demands N600k – N1.5M”.

He expressed worries over the increasing rate of eviction of tenants by landlords in the capital city: “Numerous individuals and families are being forcibly evicted from their homes due to their inability to meet the sudden increments. Those in search of housing are left with no alternative but to pay the exorbitant rates, leaving them financially burdened.

“A comprehensive law drafted by the government must be implemented or existing tenant-landlord legislation amended to protect vulnerable citizens.

“While acknowledging Governor Ogbonna Nwifuru’s efforts to mitigate the fuel subsidy removal’s impact on Ebonyi workers through a monthly N10,000 bonus, the incessant rise in house rents within Abakaliki metropolis negates these benefits, pushing the workers further into hunger and financial struggle.

“A rent control law and effective enforcement strategy should be implemented by the government to cap rent amounts in specific areas of the city. The government must step in to regulate and control rent, exercising its power as stated in Section 44(2)(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“In addition to rent control, it is imperative that the government takes swift action in developing low-cost housing estates for state and local government employees. The construction of affordable homes for civil servants at all levels will significantly alleviate the skyrocketing rents in the capital city and its environs. Furthermore, local government chairmen and other government representatives should introduce policies to mitigate the hardships faced by low-income earners in securing suitable housing.

“To address the crisis comprehensively, the government should consider the following amendments to the rent control law: making it an offense for landlords to forcibly evict tenants, requiring landlords to provide a two-year notice before increasing rents, and placing a cap on rent increments at 15% of the existing rent.

“The urgent need for affordable housing and the dire situation in Abakaliki capital city demand immediate attention from the government. By implementing a comprehensive rent control law and constructing low-cost housing estates for civil servants, the government can effectively curb the astronomical increases in rents” he stated.