During his speech at the National Housing and Slum summit, the Vice President called on stakeholders in the housing sector to aid the federal government in reducing the housing deficit in the nation.

During his speech, he stated that the appropriate way to deal with the growth of slums is to enlist enabling policies and strategies. He was of the position that affordable housing can be created if the National Housing Policy, National Urban development Policy, Revised National Building code and the Nation Integrated Infrastructural Masterplan implement dynamic policies that put into consideration the woes of the people.

“While mass housing provision and slum prevention are intertwined, eradication of slums cannot be realised through building of houses alone, but the development of cities in which housing provision and city improvement are conceived as mutually complementary,” he said.

He also explained further, saying, “While the human settlements sector requires a quick turn-around, the resources required to ensure its rapid transformation cannot be solely provided by the government. This explains the paradigm shift in the policy thrust of housing provision in favour of more effective participation of the private sector."

He appealed to the ministeries and their regulatory agencies to consider the fundamental human rights of the citizenry, the freedom of choice and respect for human dignity in their bid to eradicate slums in Nigeria.