Another 2000 Families To Enjoy Adequate And Affordable Housing In Nigeria …President Buhari is passionate about providing affordable houses for Nigerians Determined to provide adequate and affordable housing for Nigerians, the Federal Government is to provide more adequate and affordable housing for about 2000 families in the Federal Capital Territory. The Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo disclosed this during his maiden inspection of the Affordable Housing and Management Development Initiative in Gwagwalada, Abuja on Monday January 17, 2022. The Minister said that it was a constitutional and fundamental requirement for government to provide decent and affordable houses for its citizens. He said: “It is a fundamental priority of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to provide decent and affordable houses for the teeming masses of Nigerians especially against the backdrop of rural-urban migration.” The Minister said that Nigeria’s population which is about 200 million is projected to be about 400 million by 2050 and they will need affordable houses. Continuing, he said: “It may interest you to know that out of the 200 million Nigerians we have today, it is estimated that about half of that figure is living in the urban centres adding that it is the responsibility of any government most especially the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led administration to make sure that affordable houses are provided for them. “It is part of our mandate and that is why I am here on this inspection to see how I can assist the senior Minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola in fast tracking this laudable development,” he said. He said that his choice of visiting the project was deliberate. “I chose the project deliberately as my first outing as a Minister because as it is christened, “Affordable Housing Development and Management Initiative of 2000 housing units to 2000 families right here in the Federal Capital territory and if we get it right, it will be a template that will be replicated all over the county and our drive is to see how we can get it at the lowest cost possible.” Taking the Honourable Minister on tour of the project, the Head of Public Private Partnership of the Ministry, Abimbola Asein said that the Affordable Housing Development and Management Initiative was sitting on 113 hectares of land to provide affordable houses for Nigerians especially the low- and middle-income earners. Arc. Asein said that the initiative was a public, private partnership programme to provide affordable houses for Nigerians. She added: “The first phase of the project which commenced in December 2021 is to put the infrastructure (roads and drainages in place which is about 25% completed and we hope that when the houses are provided, they will be affordable to all Nigerians.”   ...

Infrastructure Development: Key to Socio - Economic Development ... Mu'azu Sambo The newly appointed Minister of State for Works and Housing, Mr. Mu'azu Jaji Sambo has reiterated the fact that infrastructure development is germane to the socio- economic development of any nation, adding that Nigeria is not an exception. Sambo made the reaffirmation today Wednesday December 29, 2021 while addressing management and staff of the Ministry led by the Permanent Secretary,  Babangida Hussaini who received him on assumption of office. Sambo said, "Mr. President is a blessing to this country. I keep saying that the skeptics will not realize this until His Excellency  is gone; but some of us who know that socio-economic development is tied to massive infrastructure development know that President Muhammadu Buhari has chosen the right course." The Minister cited China and Dubai in the United Arab Emirate as examples of nations that have developed rapidly due to their Infrastructural development. “I will be fulfilled  if within the time  I am going to be here I am able to help Mr. President leave some legacies behind in infrastructure development across the country. " The Minister expressed appreciation for the warm reception accorded him by the management and staff of the Ministry. He expressed his readiness to work assiduously and harmoniously with the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing , Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola,  SAN who he described as a man of high intellect, competence and passion for development. He said, “I assure you that I am a team player.  I will work and cooperate as much as possible with Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN whom I have known from Lagos as a man of high intellect, competence,  a man with a passion for development. I am ready to support him in achieving the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari." Earlier the Permanent Secretary Federal Minsitry of Works and Housing, Babangida Hussaini in his welcome address congratulated the Minister of State on his appointment and pledged the unalloyed support and cooperation of  the management and staff of the Ministry in the discharge of his responsibilities. The Permanent Secretary informed the Minster of State that alot had been achieved in terms of Infrastructural development by this administration as a result of the strategic plans mapped out by the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing,  Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. Hussaini assured the new Minster that he would not find it difficult to work with others in the Ministry as everyone is in high spirit to work relentlessly to achieve the mandate set by Mr.  President for the Ministry. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo who was appointed Minister of State for Works and Housing on Friday, December 24, 2021 was born in Jalingo,Taraba State on the 7th of September,  1959. He attended Muhammed Nya Primary School from 1967 to 1973. He proceeded to Federal Government College Maiduguri between 1973 and 1978 where he obtained his WASC with grade one - distinction. He further attended the School of Basic Studies Ahmadu Bello University  Zaria, Kaduna State  from 1978 to 1979 before proceeding to obtain  a Bachelor of Science Degree  in  Building with Second Class Upper from the same institution between 1979 and 1982. He has a wealth of experience as he had worked in various capacities with several organisations both in the public and private sectors such as the National Inland Waterways Authority, Nigerian Ports Authority, Nicon Insurance Corporation, Allied Bank of Nigeria and Savannah Bank of Nigeria Plc. He bagged many awards when he served with the National Inland Waterways. These include the Meritorious Service Award on Retirement in 2019, Best Area Office Award from 2017 - 2019, Special commendation for initiating and construction of new Area Office, Lagos in 2014 and Best Area Manager for Revenue Generation, Collection - Port Harcourt in 2010 and Special commendation on successful completion of the construction of Nicon Insurance Corporation Headquarters in Abuja to mention but a few. He belongs to the following professional organisations: Nigerian Institute of Building, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, (MCRBN) and the Nigerian Institute of Management. ...

Over 10, 000 Applicants Subscribe To FG’s National Housing Programme * As Ministry advices against use of invalid documents As Nigerians continue to respond with enthusiasm to the Ministry of Works and Housing’s portal recently opened for an opportunity to subscribe to the Federal Government’s National Housing Programme, over 10,000 applications have been received through the portal. However, following dedicated attention to the processing of the applications by the Web Management Team, the Ministry has advised applicants to ensure strict compliance to the requirements by uploading complete and only valid documents on the portal. Responding to complaints by subscribers having difficulty in applying, the Ministry has re-emphasised the requirements for the online registration for the prospective applicants to be valid and successful as; passport photograph, current certified Tax Clearance/Payment Slip  and means of Identification such as current National I.D, Drivers licences, International passport and Voter Card as well as letter of first appointment and Gazette of confirmation of appointment (for Public Servants). The Ministry explained the reasons why some applications are not successful to include; not having current Tax Clearance Certificate, evidence of Tax Clearance, no Pay Slip, non-submission of Memorandum of Acceptance (MOA), incomplete or inconsistent documents and not having valid means of Identification or submission of expired one. The Ministry assured that all prospective applicants who complied with all the registration requirements will have a hitch free subscription and successful applicants for the homes will be notified via the e-mail addresses they supplied.  Alternatively, applicants can log in to their profile to check the status of their application. The Ministry had recently launched an online Web-Portal: https://nhp.worksandhousing,gov.ng  for the sales of the completed houses across some states of the federation and the online sales is on-going. The National Housing Programme (NHP) is a Federal Government of Nigeria’s development agenda for addressing Housing needs. The programme commenced in the year 2016 in 34 States and the FCT. Following an approval by the Federal Executive Council, the completed housing units all over the country are to be sold to low and medium income groups through mortgage and Rent-to-Own subscription windows With the unveiling of the portal, Nigerians can now apply for the houses in the 34 states and  FCT of the country by paying a Non-Refundable application fee of N10, 000.00 (Ten Thousand Naira) only through Remita. Thereafter, a pin would be generated for the applicant access to the portal to complete the application process. The breakdown of the status update as recorded on they web-portal platforms as at Thursday, shows that, out of the total number of 10,543 applicants, 10,206 applications are pending, 238 applications have been successfully submitted and 115 applications were approved. The Ministry hereby appeal for strict compliance with the stipulated requirements for easy processing and approval of applications. ...