Jos: The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Gabriel Dewan (YPP/Pankshin North), has called for government intervention to regulate the escalating house rents in the Jos-Bukuru metropolis. Dewan made this appeal through a notice of motion during the assembly’s plenary session on Tuesday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dewan urged the state government to instruct its Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to collaborate with the Association of Landlords and other relevant bodies to bring down house rents in the Jos-Bukuru area to more affordable levels. He emphasized that shelter is a fundamental human need and that the current economic conditions, coupled with continuous rent hikes, have placed undue stress on tenants struggling to survive.
Dewan advocated for the implementation of policies that would control rent charges in the Jos and Bukuru metropolis. He highlighted the necessity for government policies aimed at ensuring adequate and suitable housing for its citizens, while also respecting their dignity.
‘There is a need for the government to still direct its policies towards ensuring suitable and adequate shelter for its citizens and respect for the dignity of every person,’ Dewan stated. He referred to the provisions of Section 16(1)(d), Section 17(2)(h), and Section 34(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) as amended, which mandate the government to ensure access to adequate shelter and housing while upholding the dignity of every individual.