Why we want to build youth hostels, car parks in Abuja – APDC MD

The Acting Managing Director of Abuja Property Development Company (APDC) Bldr. Lawal Aliyu Magaji, has said that the company has commenced designs of affordable hostels that when constructed will accommodate mostly corps members undertaking the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in Abuja.

Magaji who disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit on Media Trust Limited, publishers of the Daily Trust and other titles, said the company has also submitted a proposal to the minister of the FCT to construct a parking facility at the Idu train station to ease parking challenges at the facility. He said some other complimentary facilities like food court, tire service centre and automated car wash, were part of the plans for the car park.

APDC, incorporated in 1994 as the property division of the erstwhile Abuja Investments and Property Development Company (AIPDC) now Abuja Investment Company Limited (AICL), is a property development company providing construction, real estate development and facilities’ management services.

On the planned youth hostels, he said: “We realized that when corps members come into the city for the NYSC, after the programme, they will have one or two reasons to stay back either to get engaged in a small business or a job. Before they can stand on their feet it is really difficult for them to source accommodation after they are out of camp. We have done the design; you will have a double bunk bed, and all you need to do is just pay for a bed space. In a room, you can have four or six with just a small drawer and then the cost will be low,”

Speaking further, he said the company is currently developing the APDC Capital Estate, Kaba District, which first phase of about 300 housing units have been commissioned and over 200 families have moved in.

“We are moving into phase two but in phase one we still have some more houses to complete within this year and by next. This month we will commence phase two where we will be building about 500 units,” he said.

On the affordable houses being built by the company, he said: “When you compare ours to the real private companies, you will realise that ours are not expensive. In that location, one-bedroom goes for N6.2 million it is 50 square metres where you have a living room, bedroom, kitchen and toilet. Our two bedrooms go for N13.5m that is on 115 square metres and we have six flats on the block. And then our three bedrooms go for N16.2m sitting on 156 square metres. We have some terraces with BQ and without BQ. But our main focus is on those blocks of flats. The three-bedroom terrace without BQ goes for N22.9m and three-bedroom terrace plus BQ goes N31.9m”