High Cost Of Rent Forces Enugu Residents To Relocate To Villages

The rising cost of house rent in Enugu metropolis is forcing many residents, especially low-income earners, civil servants, artisans and young families, to consider relocating to villages and communities on the outskirts of the city in search of affordable accommodation

Although the Enugu State House of Assembly has moved forward with plans to amend the 2004 Landlord and Tenant Law following complaints by residents, our investigations revealed that many people do not have the financial muscle to afford a house rent.

Already the bill has been passed for a second reading during a plenary session at the Assembly Complex in Enugu.

The sponsor of the bill, Okey Mbah, had explained that the amendment aims to reduce the frustration and exploitation experienced by prospective tenants.

Many residents, who spoke to our correspondent stated that the decision to leave the urban centre is no longer simply a matter of preference but a difficult response to mounting economic pressures, as the cost of housing continues to compete with household spending on food, transportation, education, healthcare and other basic necessities.

It was gathered that currently , two bedroom flat which was rented for between N400,000 and N450, 000 is now being rented for between N700,000 and N800,000 in different places in Enugu.

In Nsukka , it was gathered that house rent for a two-bedroom flat rose from between N350,000 and N370, 000 to between N500, 000 and N550,000 annually.

It was further learnt that communities such as Ugbo-Owa, Ugbo-Odogwu and Agu-Owa, on the outskirts of Enugu, were benefiting from comparatively cheaper accommodation, despite inadequate basic amenities in some locations.

For residents struggling to meet their financial obligations, such communities offer an alternative to the increasingly expensive housing market in the city.

A resident of Chiene Street, Enugu who identified himself as Emeka Uwakwe appealed to government to regulate the activities of landlords , saying the development is worsening everyday.