BY EPHREM ANDARGACHEW
This week the Addis Ababa City Administration has announced summer volunteerism activities. The activities include renovation of old houses, road traffics services, blood donation, tutoring students, assisting the disabled, and supporting patients in medical facilities.
In fact, voluntarism is the practice of giving time and skills for the benefit of others rather than for financial benefit. It is also a principle of providing time and energy for the benefit of other people in the community as a social obligation rather than for any economic reward. In this regard, the renovation of old houses by the youth, apart from supporting the needy, is an ideal way towards urbanization and a modern way of life.
This is mainly due to the growing population and rapid rate of urbanization pressure on housing amongst the lower-income people of the cities. Affordable and good quality housing significantly challenges city people while the process of urbanization poses tremendous socioeconomic problems: high value of unemployment, high incident of poverty, poor sanitation, homelessness, and so on.
The challenges for lower-income households to obtain a house are multidimensional since most of them lead them to a life of hustle and bustle. Even the house that has been built in the city are below quality standards and lack adequate space. In addition, most of the houses in Ethiopia lack provisions for standard water supply, electricity, toilet, drainage system, and so on. The lives and health of people living in these houses of such poor quality and inadequate provision for water, sanitation, and drainage are under continuous threat.
Unlike developed countries, the number of people living in such conditions in developing countries is increasing every year. Ethiopia is the second most populous and the least urbanized nation in Africa while the growth of urbanization, along with population growth, has been increasing at an alarming rate. Hence, the growing population and rapid rate of urbanization have put pressure on housing, particularly amongst the lower-income people in the cities.
Taking housing problems for lower-income households into account, Addis Ababa City Administration has made various efforts to solve the problem in the city.
Addis Ababa City Administration Mayor Adanech Abebie said that the government has made several efforts to solve the basic housing needs of the city’s residents. For instance, the city administration has been implementing 40/60 and 20/80 as well as prefabricated housing programs which are imperative to harmonizing the demand for housing and urbanization.
The city administration has handed over houses which are built in 40/60 and 20/80 housing programs. But the delay of the construction, the rise of price on construction materials, illegal activities, not building in line with the program and schedule, lack of quality, and so on are some of the problems of the housing sector.
Hence, preparations are underway to build cost and energy-effective, modern, and sustainable houses. Because traditional construction methods not only require extra materials and increase waste but also hinder the process of urbanization by encouraging slams and traditional shelters, she added.
Addis Ababa City Administration Housing Development and Administration Bureau Head Yasmin Wehabrebi explained that the city administration acted accordingly to fulfill the housing demand of the people.
Hence, to alleviate housing problems, the city administration is introducing new practices and options in the housing sector. Besides, the necessary preparations are underway for the construction of the various houses which could be done quickly, and efficiently.
According to Mayor Adanech Abebie, housing is the main problem of city residences. Hence, considering this problem, the city administration is working to improve the supply of houses by designing various housing programs. The administration has also discussed new 70/30 housing modalities with Banks operating across the country.
Indeed, cost and time are important factors in constructing houses. So widening the construction of house options is significant to fulfill the demand for housing. It is not only the best alternative to satisfy the demand for housing but to harmonize the rapid growth of urbanization.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 20 NOVEMBER 2022
