The Bayelsa  state Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development , Mr ThankGod Apere ,has announced  a subsidy of N720 Million for allottees of the Okaka Housing estate in Yenagoa, the state capital.

The Commissioner who made the disclosure at a forum with allottees of the Okaka housing estate at the  conference hall of the state secretariat that said that the state Executive Council gave the approval of three million naira to each of the allottees numbering about 240.

Mr Apere said Governor Timipre Sylva gave approval for the subsidy as a listening Governor following the outcry of civil servants in the state on the need to for a reduction of the three bed-room flats.

The commissioner while soliciting  the support and cooperation of the allottees urged them to speedily complete their documentation to enable the state Government more loans from the Federal Mortgage Bank (FBN) to build other estates.

Government, he said would soon commence the process of building Okaka housing estate phase II which will be completed by May, 2011 but that its success will lye on the allottees of phase I.

He said the administration of Governor Sylva is desirous of properly accommodating every civil servant in the state with a view to making them their own landlords.

The Commissioner also threatened to revoke the allocation of any allottee that fails to complete his or her documentation in the next three weeks.

The Managing Director of Trans Atlantic Mortgages Limited, Mr Preye Ogriki  whose company is the manager of the state housing estates described the Bayelsa state Government gesture as a welcomed development.

He said“This is cheering news. I am very elated of His Excellency, Governor Timipre Sylva’s gesture. When people don’t have a home of theirs, they feel hopeless and I appeal to the Government to do more,”

Ogriki who said the role of his firm is to promote the interest of the allottees and the state Government called on the allottees to complete their documentation quickly as that would enable the Government to acquire more loans from the FMB.

Responding on behalf of the allottees, Mrs. Ebi Kakanda lauded Governor Timipre Sylva, the commissioner for Housing and Urban Development,Mr ThankGod Apere and the MD of Trans Atlantic Mortgages, Mr Preye Ogriki for the subsidy gesture.