The federal government, on Tuesday, fulfilled its 28-year-old promise by handing over keys to a three-bedroom bungalow each to three 1994 Super Eagles players and others.
The three national football heroes are Mutiu Adepoju, Ike Shorunmu and Finidi George, while Akin Amao who served as a team doctor and a beneficiary of the national housing project, Adewale Adesokan also received their keys, respectively.
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who presented the keys to them at the project site, Onidundu in Akinyele Local Government area of Oyo state, said, “The beneficiaries are among the first set of Nigerians including the 1994 Super Eagles who would be handed keys to their houses that was promised by the Federal government over 28 years ago.
“We have entered a season of completion and handover of keys to beneficiaries in 35 states and the FCT to Nigerians who have successfully subscribed through the open ministry’s website for the sales of these completed houses.”
Fashola, who was represented by the Federal Comptroller (Housing Sector), Gbolahun Adesola, called on all Nigerians to avail themselves of the opportunity of owning a house in the 35 states and FCT that have been completed except for Lagos state through open access on the ministry website.
He said the government has four Nigerians in Oyo state who have fully paid for the houses of their choice within the estate comprising 48 units of two-bedroom and three-bedroom.
The minister, therefore, encouraged Nigerians and the people of the state to leverage on the very many units yet to be sold.
In his goodwill message, the state governor, Seyi Makinde, said he was happy to see such a gigantic project in the state and assured that the allocation of the project land to the federal ministry of work and housing would be done by the state government.
Represented by the Director of Land Management, Makinde, urged the ministry to make use of other parts of the lands that have already been allocated.
Speaking with newsmen after the programme, the trio of Adepoju, Shorunmu and Yetunde Adeniyi, who stood in for Amao, thanked God for giving them the grace to witness such a great event.
Adepoju said, “I just have to be thankful to God and President Buhari for doing this during our lives time. 28 years, I am happy and thank God for the honour.”
Shoronmu said, “I’ve never lost any hope in my country because if do I would have relocated to Europe.”