The National Union of Tenants of Nigeria (NUTN) has called on Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to urgently address what it described as a worsening housing crisis in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.
In a letter addressed to the governor and signed by the union’s Executive Secretary, Caesar Enwefah, the group said the housing situation in the two councils had reached alarming levels, affecting more than 1.5 million residents.
According to Enwefah, a significant number of residents, including civil servants, private sector workers, retirees, and self-employed individuals, now spend a substantial portion of their income on rent due to skyrocketing housing costs.
He noted that civil servants earning the national minimum wage of N70,000 monthly are reportedly paying as much as N900,000 annually for self-contained apartments.
The union further revealed that rents for double-room apartments have risen from about N120,000 to N520,000 per year, while one-bedroom flats now cost as much as N1.5 million annually, up from N300,000.
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Enwefah attributed the situation to a growing housing deficit, which he said was worsened by the conversion of residential properties into commercial buildings and the approval of building plan amendments that reduced available housing stock.
He also alleged that some landlords and unregistered estate agents were exploiting the shortage by imposing excessive rent increases on tenants.
To address the crisis, the union urged the state government to halt further conversion of residential buildings to commercial use in the affected areas and consider suspending rent increases pending the introduction of new housing policies.
The NUTN also called for the appointment of a substantive or supervisory commissioner to oversee the Ministry of Housing and coordinate efforts aimed at resolving the situation.
According to the union, previous efforts to draw government attention to the issue through the ministry did not produce the desired results.
Enwefah warned that the rising cost of housing could worsen poverty levels and increase social tensions if urgent measures are not taken.
He emphasized that access to affordable housing remains a fundamental component of social welfare and urged the governor to consider the union’s recommendations as part of a broader strategy to ease the burden on residents and improve living conditions across the state.
