Housing Ministry, Climate Change Council Collaborate to Enhance Climate Resilience in Housing    * Agencies committed to UN SDGs 7, 11, 13.   Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) have unveiled a working collaboration in order to enhance the achievement of climate resilience in housing and urban development.   This was the outcome of the meeting held  between the Housing Minister Arc Ahmed Dangiwa and the Director General and Chief Executuve officer of NCCC, Dr Nkiruka Maduwkwe.    Dr. Maduekwe led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the office of the Minister of Housing and Urban Development to discuss areas of common interest and collaboration between the two agencies.   The Minister emphasized on the importance of the intersection between climate change and the housing and urban development sector, highlighting that urban areas contribute over 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with Nigeria facing urbanization rate exceeding 4% annually.   While speaking of his commitment to sustainable housing initiatives, the Minister noted that it aligned with the United Nations (UN) development goals 7, 11 and 13, which are Sustainable Cities and Communities; Affordable and Clean Energy, as well as Climate Action.    To achieve the SDG goals, Dangiwa showcased the Renewed Hope Cities and Estate program which includes 10,112 energy efficient and climate resilient housing units in 14 locations nationwide, as well as the National Urban Renewal and Slum upgrade project which has successfully completed interventions across 86 out of 106 sites.   “The intervention under our slum upgrade is that of sanitation, roads, drainages, refuse disposal, solar street lighting…”, he explained.   The Minister expressed his dedication to ensuring that sustainability remains a priority in all the policies, programs, and projects of the Ministry, emphasizing the partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC -EDGE) Green Buildings Programme which began last year.   He disclosed that through the collaboration, with IFC-EDGE, a Workshop was conducted for all the Ministry’s Technical staff, on Green Building and Construction Methods.     Accordingly, Arc. Dangiwa informed that the Ministry also adopted IFC-EDGE’s innovative IT solution to design energy-efficient buildings, optimize water usage, and reduce embedded energy consumption in housing projects.     “I also gave a Ministerial directive that all Ministry projects should be designed with efficiency in mind. These initiatives underscore our determination to align Nigeria’s housing sector with global climate adaptation and mitigation strategies,” he said.   Speaking earlier, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, emphasized the crucial link between climate resilience and urban development.   She said the council seeks stronger partnership with the ministry inorder to achieve its goal, stressing on the need for stronger collaboration between the National Climate Secretariat and the Ministry.   Dr. Maduekwe informed the Honourable Minister that Nigeria was currently reviewing its Nationally Determined Commission (NDC), following approval by the United Nations to submit an updated version;   She requested the Ministry to establish a climate change desk and nominate someone from the Ministry to be part of the National Steering Committee to aid in the review of Nigeria’s NDC.   The meeting also featured the presentation of a copy of the Climate Change Act, officially published in the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s gazette, to the Honourable Minister. ...

Dangiwa Receives Centenery City Plc Team, Says PPP Reliable Way to Reduce Housing Deficit Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has today received a high level delegation from the Centenary City Plc, led by its Vice Chairman, a one time President of the Nigerian Senate and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Prius Anyim.   The Centenary City Project Plc, is a Federal Government Legacy Project to celebrate and mark Nigeria’s centenary in 2014, a master planned development designed to create a smart city, attract global investment and position Nigeria as a prime destination for business and development   Dangiwa was glad to note that the concept of the Centenary City Project aligned with the Renewed Hope City agenda being an inclusive city with various living options and facilities such as sports, medical tourism, amongst others.   He underscored the importance of engaging the Public Private Partnerships in  addressing the housing deficit and create jobs for the people, adding that it was part of the Ministry’s plan under the Renewed Hope Agenda giving that government alone cannot fund the entire housing deficit currently being faced in the Country.   “This government has a priority of ensuring that affordable houses are provided  to Nigerians, and also creating an enabling environment for public private partnership to flourish”, he said.   While disclosing that the Ministry had received some expressions of interest from potential investors, the Minister said that more investors would be invited to explore opportunities at the Centenary City project.   Accordingly, Dangiwa directed the department of PPP in the Ministry to engage with the team from the Centenary City PLC for investor partnerships and also introduce them to the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), for partnership.   Earlier, the Vice Chairman of the Centenary City PlC, Senator Pius Anyim Pius, emphasized that the vision of the Centenary City aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda, and called for the Ministry’s collaboration to bring the vision to fruition.   He informed that the ministry can partner with the Centenary City Project by sourcing and facilitating the participation of investors and developers.   Senator Anyim urged the Ministry to help secure funding that would enable cooperative societies and individuals to own homes in Centenary City.   In his welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, reaffirmed the commitment of the Ministry to its core mandate of ensuring access to affordable housing for all Nigerians.    He assured the delegation that the Ministry remains dedicated to building, maintaining, and managing public housing assets across the country.   Highlight of the meeting was the presentation of a Centenary City Project Publications by Senator Anyim, to the Honourable Minister.   ...

Housing Ministry To Create Task Team On Properties, Lands, Ground Rent in States    * Regular field supervision, communication by states' controllers would provide needed update - Belgore  The Permanent Secretary,  Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Shuaib Belgore has informed of the Ministry’s intention to create a Task Team in every state to ensure proper audit of the Ministry's properties and land in the states of the Federation, as well as look into the collection of ground rent on those properties.   Dr. Belgore, stated this during his interactive session with the 36 states and FCT Federal Controllers of Housing, held at the Ministry's Headquarters in Abuja.   Belgore explained that the task team will include the controller in every state, representatives from the state and Federal Housing Authority, with the Surveyor -General of the Federation as the Chairman of the Task Team.   He assured them of his readiness to providing them with the resources they would need to execute their jobs so that they would not have excuse for not doing them correctly, adding that portion of the revenue will be retained for fieldwork and evaluation.    On the relevance of the assignment, he stated that "field audits and professional oversight will ensure quality and efficiency", stressing that the importance of regular  field supervision and open communication by the controllers would provide needed update to the headquarters on state-level activities.   While charging the states' controllers on teamwork for the ministry to be effective in the discharge of its mandate, he described teamwork, hard work, and quality in project execution as essential elements to achieving successes.     " The ministry’s effectiveness depends significantly on the collaboration and dedication of its state housing controllers", he stated.   He acknowledged the vital role of the Federal Controllers in coordinating the ministry’s projects in the states and ensuring their seamless execution.   Accordingly,  Dr. Belgore highlighted the necessity of hands-on field experience, noting that effective project management cannot be learned in an office setting, but rather through active engagement on project's sites, informing that their task would include training and mentoring of new officers when the time comes.   While expressing concern over the ministry’s human capacity challenges, giving that  many officers were close to retirement, he mentioned that the ministry is planning to engage experienced professionals and implement training and mentoring programs of which the Federal Controllers will be involved in field training due to their wealth of experience.   On their part, the Federal Controllers requested the Ministry to renew the contracts of facility managers for projects in the states to avoid being vandalised by miscreants.   Earlier, Director, Human Resources in the Ministry, Akinola Adeshina, said the meeting summoned at the behest of the Permanent Secretary was to ensure synergy between the headquarters and Federal Controllers.   The engagement with state controllers indicates a hands-on approach to addressing operational challenges and enhancing efficiency at both federal and state levels.   ...