To address the housing deficit in Senegal, the government has set up what it called a flagship scheme.
By Ibrahima Dione
President Macky Sall, in his policy of reducing the housing deficit, has initiated a programme to build, within five years, 100,000 housing units for people with low, medium and irregular incomes.
This major programme will be implemented mainly by the Ministry of Urban Planning, Housing and Public Hygiene, currently headed by Abdou Karim Fofana.
“These housing units are primarily intended for Senegalese who have an economic activity, employed or self-employed, formal or informal, but who do not yet have a roof over their heads,” he said.
Mohammad Boun Abdallah Dionne, Minister of State and Secretary General of the Presidency stressed Friday at the opening of the 3rd edition of the Dakar International Housing Fair, that “the implementation will begin this year. It is a flagship programme to ensure that Senegalese people live in adequate conditions.”
Within the framework of this project, 60 percent of the 100,000 housing units will be built on the Dakar-Thiès-Mbour axis and 40 percent in all cities with more than 10,000 inhabitants.
Eventually, one hundred thousand households will own a standard dwelling (two bedrooms plus a living room) built on an area of 150 square metres.
In return, the beneficiaries will have to pay between CFA10 million and CFA12 million payable over 15 to 25 years.
“This is a good initiative that meets a strong demand from the population. Today, many Senegalese have the means to build but cannot find the partner to make their dream come true. Today the government created bank loans guarantee fund. This is a step forward that did not exist,” said Claude Thouvenin, CEO of the Enekio Group, who was present at the Dakar housing fair.
The online registration campaign for the 100,000 housing units programme was a resounding success.
The Senegalese government will, after this stage, hand-pick all the applications.
ID/los/lb/as/APA