Zimpapers Logo

Dr Chombo

Innocent Ruwende Senior Reporter
Government is set to build 300 000 low-cost houses countrywide to benefit civil servants and low-income earners.
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo said this during an interview at the National Defence College in Harare last Friday where he presented a paper on the National Emergency Response Policy Mechanism and Strategy.
He said the Government would give beneficiaries title deeds so that they can apply for loans from banks.

Housing delivery is one of the key goals of Zim-Asset.
“I did not want you (media) to hear that comment. l was telling the army only, but as for now we are working on a housing programme where we will do all our best to make sure that our civil servants, including those in the armed forces, are given access to stands and at very affordable prices.

“The unavailability of title deeds has been a deterrent and this is what we are working on to make sure that title deeds are available and the banks can have what they call collateral.

“We need to make sure that title deeds are available so that banks are able to provide mortgages.”
Minister Chombo said the stands would not be available in Harare only, but at growth points across the country as well.

He said it was Government’s wish that the new programme would see Government constructing actual houses and not just providing stands.

“A family will have one consolidated loan, which you and your family can pay for over 20 years or over a period of 25 years.
“That will be much lighter than really putting pressure on people to buy houses at $15 000 to $20 000 and the people want you to pay back between a period of three years. It is not possible.

“I think we need to have a housing programme, or scheme that is properly funded with decent mortgage facilities available on which the beneficiaries can choose that which suits their pockets,” he said.

He said his Ministry would announce the developments at the appropriate time.
Asked if Government was going to help local authorities that were failing to provide basic services as well as paying their employees, Dr Chombo said the city fathers should think outside the box and come up with other ways to fund operations.

“All local authorities have a mandate, they should work with what they have and improve their management system and improve technology,” he said.

On National Emergency Response Policy Mechanism and Strategy, Minister Chombo said Government was committed to the management of disasters as demonstrated by the existence of the enabling legal statutes, which created the conducive environment for disaster risk reduction initiatives.

He said there was need to consider building resilient societies that were better prepared to minimise damage caused by natural disasters.