NATIONAL Housing Authority (NHA) chief executive officer Elias Mpondela has said his organisation has secured a K6.5 billion loan from Shelter Afrique for the construction of housing units countrywide.

Mr Mpondela, speaking at a Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) media breakfast yesterday at Zamcom Lodge in Lusaka, said NHA's vision was to ensure that it built 1,000 housing units in all the 72 districts by 2015.

He urged the media to highlight NHA's activities in order to educate the masses on how best they could access accommodation and plan for their future.

"Thus far, outside Lusaka NHA has managed to secure pieces of land for housing development.

"In Chibombo 500 hectares, Kaoma 100, Livingstone 40, Kitwe 70, and in Ndola 500 housing units will be built," Mr Mpondela said.

He said a key component to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) on poverty was to ensure that people accessed decent accommodation at decent rates.

The NHA, he said, would continue to engage the Government over directions to take and other financial institutions that had so far shown willingness to help people get long-term loans and buy decent housing units.

"NHA has secured a loan of K6.5 billion from Shelter Afrique for the construction of housing units and development of related infrastructure at the Northgate Gardens site bordering the SOS Village.

"All the districts in the country are willing to offer 100 hectares of land for housing development," he said.

Mr Mpondela said it would not be possible for many Zambians to access housing units without strong mortgages put in place, alongside a sound economy as well as paying people better salaries to enable them secure loan facilities.

He said Zambia was the only country with short-term housing loan facilities with about one year six months in which to repay a loan.

He noted that the situation had contributed to many Zambians not being able to access housing units from NHA.

And PAZA vice-president Amos Chanda urged NHA to come up with reasonable prices for low-income earners to enable them access housing units because currently, the country did not have a conducive housing facility.

"It is a pity that many Zambians who have worked for more than 10 years can still not afford to buy decent accommodation due to conditions attached.

"We urge the National Housing Authority to come up with flexible terms for low-income earners," Mr Chanda said.