Labour Rejects NASS’ Plans to Scrap Housing Loans Board

Organised labour weekend rejected plans by the National Assembly to scrap the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board, FGSHLB, describing it as most unpatriotic.Speaking through Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, President, Bobboi Kaigama, and Secretary-General, Alade Lawal, in a statement, contended that instead of concentrating on making laws that would alleviate the suffering of the citizens, the National Assembly was bet on enacting a law to abolish the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board to inflict maximum pain on public servants. According to the statement: “The ill-advised Bill which has gone through second reading in the Federal House of representatives, if allowed to be passed into law, will certainly inflict maximum damage, pain, and sorrow on hapless public servants who have devoted their entire working lives serving their fatherland. ‘’The Decree 6 of 1974 (now Act of parliament) that established the Board charged it with four core mandates of providing loan facilities for public servants to build a residential house in Nigeria for use of the applicant or his family; purchase a parcel of land in Nigeria in which such residential house is to be built; purchase a residential house in Nigeria for use of the applicant or his family; and for improving or extending a residential house owned by the applicant and to which he has a valid and good title acceptable to the Board. “It is on record that the Board has, since its inception granted loan facilities to about 22,989 public officers to buy land, build or purchase houses. ‘’Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was among eminent persons that have benefitted from the scheme.’’