Fashola Inaugurates FHA Board * Urges them to situate their contributions around FG’s policy thrust of providing affordable houses The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN Thursday inaugurated the Board of Directors of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and urged them to situate their contributions around the Federal Government’s policy thrust of providing affordable houses for Nigerians. Inaugurating the Board members in Abuja, Fashola said that what the board has Brought to the fore was the diversity of its composition. He said: “It speaks vehemently to the diversity of our country.  The six geo-political zones of the country are well represented. It shows that every zone is represented.” He added that gender equality was also considered in the recommendation for the appointment of the Board members, pointing out that it would bring about more robust policies from the Board for the good of the entire country. Speaking on the composition of the Board, he said that it was composed of prolific politicians, strong media representatives, strong grassroots mobilizers, legal practitioners and a strong presence of professionals and experts in the real estate industry who had actually built houses. “With this composition, it looks to me a very exciting time for the Federal Housing Authority and I hope the Chairman and the members will do their best,” he said. Speaking on a broader perspective on the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), Fashola stated that part of it was to use infrastructure as a way of building and expanding Nigeria’s economy adding that provision of affordable houses was part of it. “Also some of the things the Plan set out to do is to build a global competitive economy and infrastructure is one of the ways to do so,” he said.  While appreciating the contributions of the former members of the Board who had served the nation judiciously for three years, he called on the newly constituted board members to help in restoring the glory and value of Federal Housing Authority old estates like the FESTAC Town and Gwarinpa estates. The members of the newly inaugurated Board are: Senator Lawal Shuabu as Chairman from Zamfara State, Babaginda Hussaini, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing from Jigawa, Modestus Umenzekwe from Anambra, Mumini I. Hanafi from Kwara, Adamu Maina Dadi fromYobe, Engr. Adamu Ismaila from Adamawa and Barrister Zubairu S.N from Nasarawa as members. Other members include, Chinyere Anokwuru from Abia, Yinka Ogunsulire from Ondo, Veronica N. Shinnaan from Plateau, Aleruchi Cookey-Gam from Rivers and Olajumoke Akinwunmi from Ogun State. The new members have three years tenure to serve. Responding, the Chairman of the newly constituted Board who pledged the best of service from the board members, said that with the composition of the board they were going to move Federal Housing Authority forward with good policies. “I want to assure you that with the kind of composition the board has now, we are going to move Federal Housing Authority forward because we have the best and what it takes to make good policies,” he said. He further said that the board was made up of Legal minds, professionals and experts in the housing sector saying that: “The board inaugurated today is a machine that can move Federal Housing Authority in the direction of the Federal Government policy on affordable and decent houses for Nigerians,” he said. While he thanked the Minister for counting them worthy of recommendation, he commended Mr. President for the prompt approval of the recommendation. The event was attended by the Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu, FNSE, the Chairman House Committee on Housing and Habitat, Honourable Mustapha Dawaki, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Federal Housing Authority, Senator Gbenga Ashafa and officials of the Ministry, Federal Housing Authority and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.   ...

FG SEEKS COLLABORATION WITH ESTATE SURVEYORS TO BOOST REAL ESTATE SECTOR The Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, (GCON), has called on the Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIES) to consider ways to partner with government at all levels to optimize benefits in the real estate sector for the benefit of the nation. Represented by the Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu (FNSE), the Vice President, made the call while delivering his key note address at the 51st Golden Jubilee, Annual Conference of the Institute which took place at the International Conference Centre Abuja on Thursday June 24, 2021. Osinbanjo listed potential areas of partnership to include: the Buhari led administration’s vision to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in ten years since government is looking up to investment in infrastructure as a tool to realizing this vision. He mentioned the National Social Housing Programme which is a component of the national post –COVID Economic Sustainability Plan as another area of partnership. The Vice President explained that the plan was created to accelerate on-going efforts by the government to improve access to social housing. He added that government intended to stimulate local production by engaging small and medium sized construction firms to produce construction inputs such as tiles, nails, doors, windows and paint as well as building affordable houses across the country. Professor Osinbanjo who disclosed that the Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company (NMRC) was created to develop the secondary market to refinance mortgages asked NIESV to undertake advocacy with stakeholders both in the public and private sector to promote legislation that will provide support for the company. The Vice President enumerated the achievements of this administration in infrastructure development to include: the commencement of the 156Km Lagos –Ibadan rail service, completion and commissioning of 327 km Itakpe – Warri Standard Gauge Rail after 33 years of abandonment by previous administrations, construction of Kano -Maradi railway, commencement of work on Port-Harcourt Maiduguri railway lines, on-going negotiation on the Ibadan – Kano Standard Gauge Rail projects and the Abuja Light Rail project which was completed in 2018. On roads, he said the government created the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), investing over a billion dollars in three flagship projects: the Lagos Ibadan expressway, Second Niger Bridge and the Abuja –Kaduna roads. In his speech, the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing who was represented on the occasion by the Director Special Projects Unit of the Ministry, Dr. Aisha Ndayako Mohammed revealed that conscious efforts have been made with respect to accessibility, affordability and security of land tittles. Fashola disclosed that between July 2018 and May 2021, the Ministry of Works and Housing had processed and issued 4,628 Certificates of Occupancy and 2,230 consents to secondary land transactions, adding that these titles are used by holders to access investible loans to start new businesses or grow existing ones thereby expanding the economy. Fashola also disclosed that the Ministry is engaging Estate Surveyors and Valuers in implementing the valuation of Federal Government assets for purposes of International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS). In his welcome address, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Sir Emmanuel Okas Wike said the Institute had positively and progressively impacted the Nigerian Landscape with several achievements and contributions. Sir Wike said the conference would provide opportunities for networking, expansion, deepening of knowledge and professional development. Goodwill messages were delivered by the former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Governor of Ondo State Rotimi Akeredolu among others. ...

Nmiru Bridge: Council Of Ohafia Monarchs, Leaders Of Thought Commend FG The Council of Ohafia Monarchs and Leaders of Thought have commended the Federal Government for expeditiously responding to their “save our souls” appeal over the state of Nmuri Bridge in Abia State, noting that their experience has shown that the President Buhari led administration is responsive to the yearnings of citizens irrespective of tribe, region and religion. The delegation led by Chief Etigwe Uwa, SAN gave the commendation during a courtesy visit on the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN in Abuja. Chief Etigwe Uwa thanked the Minister on behalf of the good people of Ohafia in Abia state for the quick response of the Minister in fixing the dilapidated old bridge. He said: “I contacted the Honourable Minister on 30th January, 2021 and when I passed through that same bridge on 8th of February, 2021, work has already started.” “This has demonstrated that the government listen to the cry of the people. It is a clear testimony that we as a community cried to government and government has listened to us. We are very grateful as a community.” Continuing, he said that the Ministry's prompt response to the deplorable condition of the bridge had demonstrated that the President Buhari led administration was responsive to the cry of Nigerians irrespective of tribe, region and religion. “We are here today to confirm that things can work and are working in this present dispensation,” he said. He called on the Federal Government to also expedite action to facilitate the completion of the construction of the Federal Road linking Ohafia, Bende and Umuahia which the Nmuri bridge is part of. Also while reading a letter of appreciation, His Royal Highness, Elder Emmanuel Onugu on behalf of the people of Ohafia in Abia state thanked the Honourable Minister for the timely intervention in the repair and the construction of a modern brand-new bridge over Nmuri River at Ebem Ohafia. Continuing, he said that the temporary work done by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had provided succour to the people of that area who had long experienced hardship on account of the deplorable condition of the bridge which had almost become a death trap. In his response, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN said that the completion of the abandoned Nmiru Bridge in Abia State, South Eastern Nigeria will bring succour to the road users in that area. The reconstructed Nmuri bridge links Ohafia and Umuahia the Abia State capital. According to Fashola the Ohafia bridge was one of the 37 bridges and over 800 projects that the Ministry was repairing, restoring, rehabilitating and constructing across Nigeria, pointing out that some of the bridges had been abandoned for the past five to six decades. He noted that the Nmuri Bridge was among those receiving attention. already. He also stated that the Ministry through the intervention on those roads and bridges across the country had further demonstrated that the All Progressive Congress (APC) as a party has an ideology contrary to some opinions. “The APC led government is governed by progressive ideology which is progressivism, which simply means that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to improve human condition through investment in many pillars such as agriculture, mining and in particular, infrastructure expansion, repair and development,” he said. Other members of the delegation from Ohafia included His Royal Highness, Kalu Ikenga, Chief Awa Kalu, Chief Umeh Kalu, SAN, Mr. Kalu Okpo Kalu, Mr. Sunny Mbila, Architect Lucas Eme, Mr. Sunday Idika, Ogbonna Kalu, Dr. Eni Kalu and Mr. Charles Nkata. The Permanent Secretary, Babaginda Hussein and some Directors of the Ministry joined the Honourable Minister to receive the delegation.     ...