Renewed Hope Estate: Dangiwa Tasks Developers on Quality Execution of Project in Ebonyi *  Project to help Mr President 's goal to build 1 trillion dollar economy  - Gwarzo *   It's FG's remarkable journey to provide affordable housing for Nigerians  - Ebonyi Governor Minister of Housing and Urban Development,  Arc Ahmed Dangiwa,  has charged developers handling the Renewed Hope Housing Estate in Ebonyi state to adhere to standard and specifications to deliver quality houses. Dangiwa issued the strong warning in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state during the groundbreaking of 250 housing units in the state under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme, Wednesday,  June 26th, 2024. He told the developers handling all Renewed Hope Cities and Estates projects across the country, that the Ministry will not tolerate substandard work at all the sites and contractors must build in line with the terms and approved standards for the benefits of Nigerians. Earlier in  welcome address, Minister of State, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo whose address was read by Director Engineering Services. Engr Nwufo stated that, the Federal government plan to deliver 50,000 housing units under phase 1 and part of it's broad aim is to help Mr President's goal to build a 1 trillion dollar economy. The Ebonyi State Governor,  Francis Nwifuru Ogbonna, represented by Deputy Governor,  Princess Partricia Obila, described the project a remarkable journey by the Federal Government to provide affordable housing for Nigerians The flag-off in Ebonyi state marks the first  of eight (8) states in the second leg of ground-breaking to be performed for the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in February 2024. The exercise will  cover six southern states and two in the North-Central region of the country. The first leg of the exercise began with the groundbreaking of 1,500 housing units in the northern part of Nigeria, comprising 250-housing unit Renewed Hope Estates, in Katsina, Yobe, Gombe and Sokoto and a 500-housing unit Renewed Hope City in Kano. Arc Dangiwa stated “Work is currently ongoing at each of these sites, and our plan is to have them all completed within the next couple of months and made available to Nigerians in line with Mr. President’s desire to provide quality housing for all Nigerians"  Accordingly,  he explained “this second leg will see us break ground for a total of 2,000 Renewed Hope Housing Units in eight (8) states in the South and North Central of our country. This includes 250 housing units, each, starting in Ebonyi today, followed by Abia, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Osun, Oyo, Benue and Nasarawa States,” The Renewed Hope Estate to be developed by Jephthah Global Investments Ltd, Proportion Construction Works Nigeria Limited, Ideal Shelters Limited and KLYN Construction Works Ltd, will have 50 units of 1-bedroom semi-detached bungalows, 150 units of 2-bedroom semi-detached bungalows, and 50 units of 3-bedroom semi-detached bungalows. He said, “we have designed these housing units in a way that makes it easy and affordable for people to offtake by using organic designs to allow for future expansion as the income of beneficiaries increases. What this means is that 1-bedroom can be expanded to 2 bedrooms and 2-bedrooms can also be expanded to 3 bedrooms as the owner’s financial situation improves or his family grows. The minister, while urging the developers to work within the stipulated time frame of three months, emphasized the economic component of housing construction and its potential to develop the economy. “Statistics show that construction of one housing unit creates an average of 25 direct and indirect jobs. So, for these 250 housing units that we are building here in Ebonyi, we aim to create jobs for over 6,500 people in various trades. From professionals like architects, civil engineers, mechanical engineers to masons, plumbers, tilers, electricians etc. This is besides the economic activities involving persons selling food, supplying blocks, building materials and the likes. The value chain effect of construction work on this site is big and creates positive economic impact,” he said. Dangiwa thanked the Governor of Ebonyi State, Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for his prompt approval and grant of land for the project at no cost, noting that his action has helped to reduce as much as 30% of the cost of the units in the Estate for the benefit of potential homeowners. “This is a dividend of responsible governance and I applaud Your Excellency for this,” he said. The Ebonyi Governor was also full of commendation for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating a separate ministry for housing to ensure effectiveness in housing delivery, saying that Ebonyi state proudly support the initiative. Similarly, minister Dangiwa also noted that  the renewed hope estate is being implemented under the N50 billion 2023 supplementary budget, and called on other state governors to also provide land for Renewed Hope Estates Project to be built in their states as provided for in the 2024 budget. ...

HCSF, Folasade Honours Abimbola, Head PPP Housing Ministry.    The Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has given an award of honour to the Head of the Public Private Partnership Unit of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Abimbola Adenike Asein, for her dedication and excellent contributions to the mandate of the Housing Ministry.   The honour was in line with the Service -Wide Awards and Recognition, aimed at rewarding and recognizing outstanding Civil Servants in the Federal Civil Service.   The award which include cash was presented to Arc. Asein by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, CFR alongside the Chairman, AIG- Imoukhuede foundation Aigboje AIG- Imoukhuede CFR, and the Minister of youth development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, on Saturday during the Award and Gala Night of the 2024 Civil Service Week, in Abuja.   This year’s Civil Service Week commenced on Friday, 14th June, 2024, with the theme “Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa”.   Arc. Abimbola Asein was particularly awarded for working and implementing several federal government housing and works programs nationwide, including affordable housing, as well as the highways developments and management initiatives in Nigeria.   The Secretary to the government of the federation, Dr. George Akume, represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the occasion    The President congratulated all the awardees, reminding them that to whom much is given, much is also expected.    He said, “As you are honoured today, remember that with recognition comes responsibility. Your continued dedication is essential as we strive for excellence in service to our nation”.   In her address, the Head of Civil Service of the federation Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan,  informed that Ministries Departments and Agencies were requested by the Standing Service-Wide Awards Selection Committee (SWASCo), to forward nominations based on a set of criteria and weightings provided in the approved Rewards and Recognition Scheme Guidelines, in order to ensure a transparent and credible selection process;  and according to her, the committee by its mandates screened nominations made by the Ministerial Selection Committee of MDAs, and selected deserving officers for the various categories of awards.   “Nominations were received from Forty-Six (46) Ministries and Extra-Ministerial Departments, out of which Six (6) Ministries were disqualified for lack of Citation which was the basis for assessment of nominees and Six (6) Ministries submitted double nominations, hence the total number of nominations received and assessed was Fifty –Two (52) nominees”, she explained.   Dr. Yemi-Esan also disclosed that Thirty-Nine Nominees scored above the cut-off mark and were selected for the 2024 Edition of the Federal Civil Service Rewards and Recognition, after a rigorous selection process in line with the Service-Wide Criteria and Weighting.   She announced that the categories of awards for presentation at the 2024 Edition of the Service-Wide Rewards and Recognition were: Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award, Presidential Civil Service Merit Award, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Award, The Public Service Excellence Award, 2024 Sports Achievement Award; and an award for three Ministries who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to Work-Life balance of their staff.   She further stated that the OHCSF enjoyed collaboration with stakeholders and partners from both public and private sectors to scale up the level of intervention of the Reward and Recognition Scheme, aimed at enhancing value proposition for civil servants; adding that a cash gift of N500,000 would be given to each of the best performing civil servants from the MDAs, as facilitated by Private Sector Partners, Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation.   In attendance at the award night were some ministers of the federal republic of Nigeria, several permanent secretaries, representatives of the workers’ Unions (NLC and TUC), representatives of the Consortium of Insurance Companies, alongside other dignitaries. ...

Dangiwa to Flag Off Construction of Additional 2,000 Renewed Hope Housing Units in Eight States ●    Projects to create over 50,000 direct and indirect jobs The Hon. Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, is set to officially flag-off construction work for additional 2,000 housing units in eight (8) States in the South and North Central zones of the country in continuation of the groundbreaking ceremonies for Renewed Hope Cities and Estates. States slated for the exercise include Ebonyi, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Osun, Oyo, Benue and Nasarawa.  The nationwide groundbreaking exercise is sequel to the official launch of the housing programme by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in February 2024, with the inauguration of 3,112 housing units in Karsana, Abuja and the successful groundbreaking of 1,500 housing units in five states in the north comprising Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, Sokoto and Kano from 22nd to 25th May 2024. The schedule for the flag-off of construction activities will begin with 250 housing units in Ebonyi on Wednesday, 26th June 2024, followed by 250 units in Abia on Thursday, 27th June 2024; 250 units in Akwa Ibom on Friday, 28th June 2024; and 250 units in Delta State on Saturday, 29th June 2024. Others are 250 units in Osun (Tuesday 2nd July 2024), 250 units in Oyo (Wednesday 3rd July 2024), 250 units in Benue (Friday 5th July 2024), and 250 units in Nasarawa (Saturday 6th July 2024), bringing the total to 2,000 housing units in the eight states. This brings the total number of units under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme since the official launch in February to 6,612. All the housing projects are scheduled to be completed and commissioned by the end of 2024 in line with the commitment of the Minister to ensure housing projects are speedily completed and occupied by Nigerians who need them. Each Renewed Hope Estate in Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Delta, Osun, Oyo, Benue, and Nasarawa will comprise 50 units of one-bedroom semi-detached bungalow, 100 units of 2-bedroom semi-detached bungalow, and 50 units of 3-bedroom semi-detached bungalow. As the Minister said, “the houses will be built in line with approved organic designs to allow eventual off-takers expand from one bedroom to two bedrooms, and from two bedrooms to three bedrooms as incomes increase over time. This design was adopted to enhance affordability for Nigerians.” The 2,000 housing units are being funded under the 2023 Supplementary Budget of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. The Minister has assured State Governments that the Renewed Hope Housing Programme is designed to cover all states of the Federation and those not captured under the supplementary budget will be taken care of under the 2024 budget. The 2,000 housing units are estimated to create about 50,000 skilled and unskilled jobs in the states at an average of 25 jobs per unit. “Beyond providing shelter for low-and-medium-income Nigerians, housing construction is a major stimulus for the local economy, creating jobs, supporting livelihoods, and developing the larger economy,” Arc. Dangiwa said. The housing projects also seek to promote inclusivity and integration and address inequalities by providing a broad range of affordable homeownership options. This includes single digit and up to 30-year mortgage loans to be provided by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Rent-to-Own options where beneficiaries can move in and pay towards homeownership in monthly, quarterly, or annual instalments and Outright Purchase for high income earners. ...