Cross River, Irish investors plan 5,000 housing units

•Ayade speaking the meeting with the investors in Calabar...yesterday. With him (from left) are Cullinane, the Int'l. Director Sales Middle East West Africa, Mr. Tony Duncan, the Ground Hog, Mr. Peter Klassen and Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Tina Agbor...yesterday.

Cross River State government and Irish property developers are finalisng a deal for the construction of 5,000 housing units.

The investors met with Governor Ben Ayade in Calabar yesterday.

The meeting is coming barely two weeks after Ayade led a trade delegation to the Republic of Ireland.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Christian Ita, said modalities had been worked out between the state government and an Irish building firm, Affordable Building Concept International, to build affordable houses in its effort to develop new cities.

Ayade, while receiving the team which he described as “ specialists in affordable housing scheme”, in Calabar, explained that its presence was a follow-up to an earlier discussion in Dublin on plans by his administration to provide affordable but comfortable shelter for the poor and unemployed.

Ayade said: “There is no amount of value you can give to mankind that will compensate for the lack of shelter. The  investors will come with their technology and expertise and set up a factory where low-cost housing will be designed off site and the houses set up in less than three days.”

Headded that the houses would be in three categories to cater for the needs of the people, who will key into the ambition of the government to create a new city in each of the local governments while that of Calabar will be called “Calas Vegas”.

Ayade said they would be mindful of the natural endowment of the environment where the houses would be located.

The  Chairman of Affordable Building Concept International, Mr. Desmond Cullinane, hoped that they would achieve some measure of success in the state.

The Irish investors later visited Summit Hills, where UAC is building housing an estate of various categories, known as the Golf Estate.