A total of 5,095 citizens have benefited from the Bahrain government's Mazaya housing programme till the first quarter of this year, reported BNA, citing the country's housing minister.

The statistics of the programme affirm the success of the government’s vision on involving the private sector in providing affordable social housing for the citizens, remarked Bassim bin Yacoub Al Hamar.

The Mazaya Programme has effectively contributed to implementing the government’s housing pledges in its Action Plan, including that related to the provision of 25,000 housing units," he stated, while presenting the Mazaya Programme’s statistics for the first quarter.

According to him, a total of BD837 million ($2.2 billion) has been spent on the real estate, financing, contracting, engineering consultancy and retail sectors thanks to 'Mazaya', which proves its role in supporting the national economy.

While presenting the Mazaya Programme’s statistics for the first quarter of 2020, the minister said that the housing ministry had issued 382 eligibility certificates, and approved the applications of 275 beneficiaries who completed all procedures.

He pointed out that these statistics showed an increase in the number of beneficiaries of the Mazaya Programme every year.

"Their annual number increased from 773 in 2014 and 2015 to 1,358 in 2019," he added.