Housing Ministry to Renovate, Safeguard, Optimize Federal Assets Nationwide    * To Enforce Compliance with Land Administration Laws •⁠  ⁠Holds Stakeholder- Citizens Engagement to facilitate Inproved Land Administration Service  Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government  to renovating, safeguarding and optimizing the value of its assets nationwide while enforcing strict compliance with land administration laws. The Minister made this declaration during a Stakeholder - Citizens Engagement on Land Administration held at Victoria Crown Plaza Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, Friday,  December 13th, 2024. The stakeholder - citizen engagement to facilitate improved  Land Administration Service in Nigeria was the concluding part of his three-day working visit to Lagos. Arc. Dangiwa in his remarks emphasized the resolve of the Ministry under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to restore order in federal land and asset management. "In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Ministry is resolved to ensure strict adherence to the provisions of the law regarding the control and administration of its assets to maintain order," he stated  The Minister who, alongside his team, toured various federal government facilities, field offices, and housing projects in Lagos over the course of three days expressed concern over the poor condition of federal assets and uncompleted housing projects, vowing to expedite their renovation, upgrade, and completion. “We have resolved to optimize these facilities and put them to good use so they can provide value to the government and Nigerians. Our aim is to fast-track the completion of housing projects to increase the stock of affordable housing for Nigerians in Lagos,” He noted. The Ministry also announced plans to transform its field offices into modern, functional workspaces to boost staff productivity and enhance operational efficiency in Lagos. Addressing irregular developments along the Lagos shoreline where unauthorized land reclamation and construction have been rampant, Dangiwa reiterated the Federal Government’s authority over shoreline titles and warned developers who fail to comply with legal requirements of appropriate action. "We have observed numerous haphazard developments along the shoreline, where people have reclaimed and built on land without proper clearance or authorization. This is unacceptable," the Minister said. To curb these practices, the Ministry issued a one-month ultimatum for all developers on shorelines to regularize their papers or risk having their properties revoked and demolished. Underscoring the importance of collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Housing and the Lagos State Government in resolving land disputes, both parties agreed to form a joint committee to resolve longstanding land issues and foster a coordinated approach to land administration. “We are one government, and it is vital that we work as partners to ensure effective administration of federal government assets. Proper coordination will prevent exploitation by third parties and ensure compliance with the law,” Dangiwa stated. The Stakeholder Engagement on Land Administration provided an opportunity for developers, residents, and key stakeholders to share insights and contribute to the Federal Government's strategy for sustainable urban development. The Minister also noted that the interactive session was a critical step toward improving land administration in Lagos and delivering on the ministry’s  promise of affordable housing and urban development for all Nigerians. Issues that came up during the stakeholders engagement amongst others were;  payment of double ground rates, issuance of CofOs, canal discharge and flooding in some Federal Government Estates,  land ownership litigation and compensation, and  deplorable road infrastructure in some estates.  " The Ministry is ready to address the myriad of such challenges, hence the stakeholder - citizens engagement for the ministry to understand the needs and concerns of the citizens with the view to identifying areas for improvement" Dangiwa stated.  ...

FG Issues Ultimatum to Developers on Lagos Shoreline to Regularise or Risk Revocation    * Collaborating with the Lagos State Government to stop the abnomalities    *  Haphazard Developments on shoreline not Tolerable - Dangiwa  The Federal Government has given a one month ultimatum to developers on the shoreline in Lagos to come up for regularisation or risk revocation and demolition.   Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa issued the ultimatum and warning today after the Inspection visit to the Lagos Lagoon Estates and shoreline front.   Dangiwa is on official working visit to Lagos State to inspect the Federal government landed properties and assets. He is being accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi and some Directors of the Ministry.   The Minister stated that developments on the Lagos shoreline must be orderly and in line with existing laws and regulations, adding that his meeting with the Lagos State Governor yesterday, arrived at a common agreement that the Federal Government and Lagos State Government will work together to ensure there is disciplined development on the Lagos Shoreline.    " The Federal government is taking stock of its assets and landed properties with the view to having proper documentation of its  assets spread across the country", he said.   Dangiwa who took a boat tour with his team and officials of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority to see things for himself, explained that, what they found on the Lagoon Shoreline in Lagos was alarming. The shoreline is littered with irregular developments where people carved some areas, sand filled it and built without first obtaining Federal Government title and necessary documentations.    "There is no room for Haphazard developments on the Lagos Shoreline. We are working with Lagos State to fix these anomalies", Dangiwa said.   The Federal Government, through Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has the rights to issuance and administration of title on shorelines in  accordance with the Land (Title Vesting) Act 1975; and through Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority, grants permit to dredging along the shoreline, while the State Government has the control over physical development on the shoreline.    He emphasised that the federal government will not tolerate such Haphazard development and irregular activities on the shoreline, hence the ultimatum.   Other Federal government's sites visited  by the Honourable Minister in Lagos  today include;  Ogbogbo Housing Project Ikorodu and Ikorodu Low Cost Housing sites.   The Honourable Minister will be rounding off his working visit with a Stakeholder Engagement, Friday, December 13th, 2024.    ...

Housing Ministry, Lagos State Government Agree to Resolve Perennial Land Issues  *  We will give ministry necessary support to succeed - Sanwo-Olu *  Technical Committee sets up to Review, Assess and Recommend Mutually Beneficial Way Forward. Federal Ministry  of Housing and Urban Development and the Lagos State Government have agreed to work together towards an amicable resolution of all pending issues around land administration in the State.  This was a key outcome of the meeting between the Hon Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu held at the Marina, Lagos Government House, Wednesday,  December 11th, 2024. Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa was on a working visit to Lagos State where he visited the Ministry’s field offices, including the Glass House which houses over 40 federal government 's agencies, landed Federal government properties and the former Federal Secretariat in Ikoyi which is currently under dispute with the Lagos state government.   The Minister and the Governor agreed to set up a tripatite committee comprising the ministry, Lagos State Government and the Resort International Limited, who took over the complex and started work on it before the dispute, to review and assess all positions in order to solve the lingering  dispute in a mutually beneficial to all the parties involved. The minister used the opportunity of the courtesy visit to abreast the Governor of the Ministry’s efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR to provide descent and affordable houses to Nigerians and ensure urban development and slums upgrade  Dangiwa commended the remarkable progress made by the state under the  administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in delivering good governance and transforming Lagos state into a beacon of progress and innovation. He also appreciated the Governor for graciously providing land in Ibeju- Lekki area to the Ministry for the Renewed Hope City Project which construction for 2000 housing units is already ongoing, and expecting the official groundbreaking by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu early next year.  To foster an investment-friendly, smart, and sustainable environment in Lagos state, the the Minister sought the consideration of the Governor on the need for harmonization of federal and state regulatory activities, saying that building the synergy was crucial to attracting private sector investment, as well as ensuring sustainable urban development. Dangiwa appealed to the governor for common ways to resolve the lingering lands problems with the federal government in Lagos state, which he said has been a concern, emphasising the significance of coming together to consolidate on the existing relationship between the Federal Government and Lagos State being the former seat of the  Government  “Your Excellency, the Federal Government and the Lagos State are partners in development and land administration. It is important for us to work together in the spirit of cooperation and understanding” he said  He expressed confidence that addressing the problems collaboratively will further strengthen the relationship between the two tiers of government, enhance urban development, and improve the lives of Lagosians.  The Minister was further delighted to state that Lagos State is the first to domesticate the National Building Code, further looking forward to a mutually beneficial partnership between the Ministry and the state. At the glass house, the Minister used the opportunity of the visit to address the staff of the over 40 agencies occupying the facility, and assured them that,  his Ministry will carry out a major renovation of the building, restore it back to life with electricity, water supply and other necessities to make it conducive for workers  ...