By Tejiri Ebikeme/Francis Sadhere

The Managing Director of Delta Trust Mortgage Finance Ltd (DTMF), Mrs. Ruby Okoro has said that in pursuance of the SMART agenda program of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the state government has financially Repositioned the mortgage bank to support Deltans in their quest to own their own homes.

The Managing Director of Delta Trust Mortgage Finance Ltd, Mrs. Ruby Okoro performing the ground breaking of the Ekpan Life Multipurpose Cooperative society housing estate, while others look on.

Mrs. Okoro stated this on Wednesday during the ground breaking ceremony of Ekpan Better Life Multi Purpose Co-operative Society Housing Estate at Ewhere, Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta state.

She said DTMF is a primary Mortgage Bank wholly owned by the Delta State Government which Deltans can call their own, calling on all Deltans and Nigerians who reside in the state to avail themselves of the various windows available to them in the Bank.

Mrs. Okoro said that she is excited that the state government has kept to its promise by ensuring that the bank has been recapitalized to the tone of N2.5 billion which it has been using to support housing in the state.

“As you are all aware, Shelter is one of the three basic needs of man and it is most important after food. For, this reason, over the years, both the Federal and State Government have been grappling with the challenges posed by the huge deficit in the Housing Sector and Delta State being one of the proponent of good shelter for the people, established Delta Trust Mortgage Finance Ltd in1999 with a clear mandate to support individual and corporate bodies to actualize their dream of owning homes of their choice,” Mrs. Okoro said.

While congratulating the President and members of the Ekpan Better Life Multi-purpose Cooperative Society for their developmental efforts, foresight and bold steps taken to ensure that the housing estate came to fruition, Mrs. Okoro said the project when completed, “will in no doubt contribute to the reduction of the huge deficit in the housing sector of our state.”

She also noted that the beneficiaries of the housing estate would automatically become property owners and the community where the project is sited, will equally benefit from further development that would be attracted to the area as well as creation of jobs for the teeming youths.

Mrs. Okoro thanked the community for their gesture and support for the project by creating the enabling environment for the project to be actualized, calling on other communities to emulate the people of Ewhere community, as peace is a vital tool for development.

She however, stressed that she will not hesitate to relocate the project if the community did not allow the project to go on without hindrance by the youths of the community.

She said the first phase of the project which contain a twelve block apartment of three bedroom bungalow, would be completed by the next six months, adding that she will be excited to see the smiles in the faces of those involved after the project is completed.

The MD of Delta Trust Mortgage Finance Ltd enjoined all well meaning Nigerians to avail themselves of the great opportunity.

The Warri Branch Manager, DTMF, Ede Ominiabohs in his remark described the ceremony as a memorable one, urging Deltans to avail themselves of the various facilities of the Delta Trust Mortgage Finance Limited to provide shelter over their heads.

In his address, the Chairman of the Ekpan Better Life (MPCS) Ltd, Mr. J.I. Orakpor commended the efforts of Mrs. Okoro for her tenacity, hard work, foresight and honesty, saying that her effort made it possible for them to embark on the project.

He said the board of Directors of the Co-operative society decided to embarked on the project to alleviate the sufferings of its members who after working for about 30 years or have attaind about 60 years in life could not afford a house of their own.

He said, “In the course of sourcing for funds to execute this project, the co-operative almost lost hope considering the bureaucratic nature of government services. In fact, to the housing beneficiaries and other members, we were just day dreaming. Relief actually came to us with the appointment of this present management team of Delta Trust Mortgage Finance Bank under the able leadership of Mrs. Ruby Okoro.”

Speaking on behalf of the community, the President of the Community, Mr. Obadiya Henry said he was overwhelmed that the housing project was brought to their community, just as he assured that the community will continue to maintain peace throughout the completion of the project.

Present at the occasion were the representatives of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) co-operative society, NNPC, various co-operative societies, government functionaries and a host of others.