Government News Source|7 January 2020
Cross River State Governor, Sir Ben Ayade has expressed satisfaction with the quality of roofing tiles from the newly established state-owned roofing tiles factory in Yala Local Government Area.
Ayade expressed his excitement during a recent visit to the factory which has since commenced test-production.
He said the coming on stream of the factory will drastically reduce the importation of roofing tiles into the country.
According to him, the factory is equipped with the latest technology for the production quality and reliable roofing tiles of different colors.
He said the main reason his administration established the factory was primarily to enhance the social housing policy of his government.
His words: “When I was a senator, my first bill was on social housing. Housing for all should be a right because section 14, sub section 2 of the 1999 Constitution provides that the primary purpose of government is the welfare and security of her citizens.
“You can not talk about welfare without housing. So, housing by extension is a right. As far as you are an indigene of Cross River State, you are entitled to a house, a shelter over your head by the Cross River State Government.
“For me to achieve that, I had to bring a block making factory, a roofing tile factory and of course, floor tiles factory. All these factories are already in place in the northern senatorial district where the Ayade Industrial Park is located.”
The governor said having completed the building of the factories, his government is now to commence the construction of social housing schemes across the state.
According to him, the state will soon witness “a massive construction of social housing schemes to provide houses for the poor as well providing very advanced and sophisticated houses for the rich, using this technology.
“I believe that with this programme, every Cross Riverian will have a roof over his or her head. The creation of the Ministry of Social Housing and Ministry of New Cities was intended to take advantage of this government factory for the full benefit of our people."
