THE recent collaboration between Delta State and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to address one of the most pressing challenges facing public servants in Delta State: affordable housing, marks a significant milestone in the ongoing quest to ease the housing burden of civil servants.
In a country where the national housing deficit is estimated between 20 and 22 million units, this project could become a model for what state governments can achieve when they prioritise the welfare of their workers that are already burdened by rising rents, tough economy, and salaries that cannot keep the pace with inflation.
The partnership, sealed with the formal allocation of 10.1 hectares of land at Core Area 2 in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state, and the waiving of N200m statutory fees on the land by the governor, reflects a deliberate attempt to align workers’ welfare with federal housing policies. The estate, designed under the FMBN/NLC/TUC/NECA Workers’ Collaborative Housing Scheme, specifically targets junior and mid-level civil servants who often spend a disproportionate share of their salaries on rent.
The idea of government-driven housing estates for workers is not new in Delta State. During the military era, some efforts were made, but it was under the Fourth Republic, particularly the administration of Chief James Ibori, that structured initiatives emerged. The development of the Junior Staff Quarters in Asaba was conceived with the understanding that providing housing for public servants would be a continuous and deliberate programme.
Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, who succeeded Ibori, made limited additions, focusing more on infrastructure and health than workers’ housing. During his two terms as governor, Senator IfeanyiOkowa pursued affordable housing in Delta State through a mix of approaches. He supported direct estate projects (such as the D’Height Estate), enabled housing loan schemes for public servants, and entered partnerships with private developers (e.g., the 10,000 housing units’ scheme with Greenfield Assets).
While these efforts were laudable, the direct provision of estates remained sparse, with only a handful in Asaba, Kwale, Oleh, Warri, and Oghara/Orekrokpe.
Today, with about 50,000 public servants in Delta State, less than 10 per cent have access to designated housing estates. Worse still, many of these estates are often reportedly cornered by politicians and their associates, defeating the original purpose.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori deserves commendation for taking a decisive step to address the housing deficit of the state workforce having gone further than rhetoric. By waiving statutory fees amounting to N200 million, the state government has ensured that financial bottlenecks will not stand in the way of progress.
Workers earning modest salaries cannot compete in the open housing market; they require subsidised schemes that recognise their limited means. The governor’s appeal to FMBN to deliver the project on time, and make it truly accessible to its intended beneficiaries strikes at the heart of past failures, where noble housing plans became hijacked by the powerful.
The role of the FMBN in this collaboration will be critical. FMBN has experience executing similar schemes in states like Lagos, Abuja, and Kano. However, in Delta, the call is clear: the bank must resist political interference, ensure transparency in allocation, and uphold its mandate of serving workers first. Civil servants and their unions, particularly the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), will also need to hold both the state and the bank accountable to prevent any diversion of the scheme.
Beyond immediate relief for workers, the Ibusa estate represents a broader socio-economic opportunity. Properly executed, it can stimulate local construction industries, generate employment, and expand infrastructural development around Asaba.
The challenge now is delivery. The temptation for delays, cost inflation, or political capture looms large. That is why continuous monitoring by the FMBN, coupled with transparency in disbursement and allocation, will determine whether this project becomes a true landmark or just another broken promise.
If this project succeeds, it will revive the spirit of the Junior Staff Quarters dream of the Ibori era and restore confidence in government-backed welfare initiatives.
