IRRUA – In a bid to further the manifest policy of Infrastructure Development and Environmental Sustainability of the Edo State Government, the Management of Edo State Development and Property Agency (EDPA), led by Mr. John Zedomi has taken a Housing Needs Assessment visit to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), the Ekpoma Community and its environs in the Esan West and Esan Central Local Government Areas in Edo State.

Speaking during the visit to the management of ISTH, the EDPA Managing Director enumerated the need for the visit to the Health Institution and emphasised that out of about available 100 hectares of land adjacent to the ISTH, EDPA has carved out about 10 hectares to build in the First Phase, a 300 Housing Units of 2 and 3 Bedroom Bungalows to meet the needs and benefits of members of Staff of the Institution and the Ekpoma University Community.

He noted that credible Primary Mortgage Banks, National Housing Fund Schemes and other relevant Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) are available to support interested contributors for the affordable and Expandable Property designs, and requested the management of ISTH to facilitate the profile of interested subscribers to enable open and personalised conversations.

Mr. Zedomi concluded that members of ISTH staff can subscribed to the project and use it as an investment opportunity to commercialise their interests in the Estate, adding that EDPA needs to have verifiable statistics and proof to show its partners and funders to enable immediate take-off of the Estate before the next raining season sets in.

Responding on behalf of the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Sylvanus Okogbenin and Management staff; Mrs. Stella Ighodalo, Director, General Administration and Eguaoje Harry, Director of Human Resource, respectively and collectively expressed their interests and enthusiasm in the project. They promised to take the message to the CMD and help sensitise members of staff to ensure that relevant issues discussed concerning the Proposed Gated Estate are brought to the knowledge of the various Unions in the institution.

They requested for corresponding details concerning the profile of staff i.e. stratification of senior, intermediate and junior staff; the role to play by the ISTH management, especially the nature of guarantee to provide for interested members of staff and the general benefits individual stands to derive from the project.

Other areas of interest expressed by the representatives of the management include the provision of complementary facilities like regular power supply; day care; nursery and Primary Schools; the cost of each unit and the quality of materials to be used.

Others include mode of deductions; duration of projects as well as the proximity of the Property Estate and qualification of retiring staff of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital.

On the entourage of the Managing Director, EDPA, Mr. John Zedomi was the Executive Director, Technical, Arc. Bose Idegbesor; the Quantity Surveyor of the Agency, Mr. Patrick Zegar and Mr. Oboh Sylvester, Head, Media amongst other officers of the EDPA Estate Department.