NHA to empower health workers

The National Housing Authority or NHA has embarked on a program to empower health care workers in Liberia by owning estate homes.

The NHA says it has designed a strategy where each health care worker can afford to buy his or her own house.

Addressing reporters Tuesday, 9 June at the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism on Capitol Hill, NHA Deputy Managing Director for Administration, Prince Wreh, said in line with its mandate to plan, initiate and construct affordable homes the entity has embarked on executing said mandate through financial efforts by the Government of Liberia and development partners such as the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation or NASSCORP.

He said projects ongoing at the NHA include construction of 125 Housing Units in Marshall, Margibi County, and expansion of Brewerville (Gobarhs Town) estate with additional 35 units.

“It is customary in our society that home ownership lends more credibility to an individual stature and provides a sense of stake in the society”, director Wreh said.

He added that this level of confidence continues to be a promising platform for many Liberians through the provision of affordable homes as demonstrated over the years from Stephen A. Tolbert, E.J. Goodridge, New Georgia, Old & New Matadi and other estates, including Voinjama, Buchanan, Sanniquellie, and Brewerville Phase I & 2, and upcoming Marshall Estate (Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Housing Estate).

According to him, the National Housing Authority cognizant of the sacrifices made by members of the healthcare sector and challenges endured by them during the Ebola epidemic that plagued the entire country, the NHA in consultation with stakeholders and its Health Care Ambassador, Dr. Phillip Ireland (Ebola Survivor), formally roll out to empower health care workers to own a home.

The Deputy Managing Director narrated that the program is NHA’s way of expressing gratitude and appreciation for the courage, sacrifices, and efforts continuously exhibited by Health Workers even after the declaration of Liberia Ebola-freed.

The NHA envisions that the program will enhance home ownership for employees within the health care sector at its Brewerville (Gorbah Town Estate) and other applicable estates.

He further explained that as a testament to the desire of the entity to ensure that health care workers are afforded the opportunity to own a home, the Managing Director, Deputy Managing Director for Administration & Technical Services will forfeit their June salaries, totaling US$ 5,000.00 as down payment for a two bedroom home in Brewerville to a deserving health worker.

Mr. Wreh said the program will follow terms of the NHA’s Mortgage Loan Program, which requires employment status, a stipulated income amount and checked references.

He said the Government of Liberia encourages all Liberians, including public and private institutions to join the initiative to ensure that health care workers become beneficiaries of owning homes through Mortgage Down Payments (US$ 5,000.00).

The national housing program initiated by the Government of Liberia in the 70s was initially meant for low income people, but estates constructed around Monrovia are being occupied mostly by middles income Liberians, most of whom work in the public sector as ordinary civil servants, whose monthly salary range between US$125 and US$130 can’t afford the Mortgage Down Payment program to occupy or own estate houses.  By Lewis S. Teh – Editing by Jonathan Browne