The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos chapter and National Union of Women Journalists, (NAWOJ) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) with Primewaterview Holdings Limited, PWV, an indigenous estate developer, for the construction of 800 housing units at Abaren Village, Mowe, in Obafemi Owode local government of Ogun State for journalists that subscribed to Lagos NUJ housing scheme.

Speaking at the ceremony, that took place at Ladi Lawal Press Centre, Lagos NUJ chairman, Deji Elumoye said, the developer would build each housing unit at a cost of N5 million to be paid over a period of time.

According to him, the 800 housing units would be developed at a cost of N4 billion within the next 36 months.

He said that NAWOJ is the initiator of the project in partnership with the Lagos NUJ, adding that the union had been on the project over a year looking for a worthy developer to commit funds into the project.

Elumoye said the developer would construct three bedrooms flat, per unit with parking space and adequate social amenities.

He said, “We are carrying out this project in a transparent manner. Primewaterview has executed lots of project within and outside Lagos. Having done lots of investigation with proven integrity, we had to settle for them.

“The project would lead to the development of three bedrooms bungalow, with the construction of 800 housing units. You are going to have shopping complex, schools, police post, playing ground and other facilities in the estate, it will be a big and standard estate.”

Elumoye added that the project would be undertaken in phases, with the first phase taken delivery of 200 housing units in the next six months on 2,000 square metre, as allocation would be on first come first serve basis.

Also speaking, the National President, NAWOJ, Ify Omowole said the association was the initiator of the project noting that the project covered a land space of 640,000 square meters.

She said the estate would have a global certificate of occupancy, adding that journalists would bear 40 per cent of the funding while the remaining 60 per cent would be borne by a yet to be named financier.