History As President Buhari Commissions Seven Legacy Projects on Tuesday Following through on his administration’s determination to upgrade and expand the nation’s stock of infrastructure, President Muhammadu Buhari will (tomorrow) Tuesday, commission seven legacy projects completed by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing across the country. Comprising three major Bridges, three Federal Secretariats and a Road, the historic event will be headlined by the Second Niger Bridge which was conceptualized in 2005. In 2014, there was an attempt to begin the project through Public Private Partnership (PPP) but this was not successful. The construction began in 2016 with the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF). Others are the Loko-Oweto Bridge across River Benue to link Benue to Nasarawa State and the Ikom Bridge in Cross River State while the Road project is the completed Section of the over 200 kilometres of Kano-Kaduna Dual Carriage Expressway and three new Federal Secretariats. The first of the Federal Secretariats at Awka is located at Executive Business District Layout, Awka South Local Government Area, Anambra State and is situated on a 5.106 Hectares of land. The project was first awarded on 9th December, 2011 but was practically completed and taken over by the Ministry of Works and Housing on 14th July, 2022. The Secretariat has a total of 498 Office Space, a Conference Hall, four Committee Rooms, an Exhibition Hall, a Banking Hall, a Post Office and befitting Reception. In addition, the Secretariat has lift facilities, well laid out parking spaces and drainages, staff canteen, fire hydrant and other vital facilities. The second, Federal Secretariat Gusau, Zamfara State is located at Unguwan Dan Lawan, off Sokoto By-Pass Road, Gusau, Zamfara State. The project is situated on a 7.5 Hectares of land and was awarded also on 9th but was practically completed and taken over by the Ministry on 30th November, 2022. The third to be commissioned is the Federal Secretariat Yenagoa, which is located at Alamieyeseigha Road, in Bayelsa State.  It is situated on a 7.5 Hectares of land and was awarded on 9th December, 2011 but was practically completed and taken over by the Ministry on 30th November, 2022. It would be recalled that President Buhari commissioned a fourth one, the Federal Secretariat Lafia, located at Bukar Sidi along Jos Road, Lafia, Nasarawa State in February this year. All nation's media stations are implored to stay tuned for the historic commissioning. ...

Fashola Unveils Business Process Automation of Certificates of Occupancy for Federal Lands The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, CON, has unveiled the Business Process Automation of Certificate of Occupancy (eCofO) for Federal Lands. The event took place at the Ministry's Conference room, Mabushi, Abuja. Fashola, in his keynote address, said that the initiative was another layer and level of technological advancement in the country and   urged the ministry to sustain and maintain it to the expected next level. He explained that manual processing of application for and signing of C.of.O which used to be cumbersome and time - consuming would stop with the introduction of this digital platform, there by ending the era of carrying several  bags of files of C of O for manual endorsement at home even on weekends. "Our digital platform is meant to make life better, the thing that used to take three months will now be available in 24 hours. I, as the head of the Ministry, will stop carrying Ghana most go filled with C of O’s from Abuja to Lagos or my house, I can now sign many of them on the system within some hours. I think that's where Nigeria as the biggest black Nation should be." He remarked. The Minister also revealed that about 2,276 files have been digitalized. In his remarks, the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Folorunso Esan, said that the project was awarded on February 17, 2022 and commended   the Ministry for the successful implementation of the initiative. He confirmed that the project will boost public consumption and also enable easy payments. The Head of Department and Director, Lands & Housing Development, Mr. Felix Appah, said that the process will enthrone transparency in the activities of land certification and ownership which will greatly serve as legal collateral to such land owners in accessing loans. Accordingly, Mr. Appah listed its benefits to government as; improving efficiency in registration, prevents the issuance of counterfeit C of O, increase revenue to government, having a central digital repository for all document, reduce process time for C.of.O applications, digital archiving with index, Reduce storage and printing costs amongst others. In addition, Nigeria, implementing an electronic land titling is in line with international best practices in land administration. Highlight of the event was presentation of C.of.O to some of the recipients. ...

42nd Shelter Afrique AGM: Nigeria Emerges Chairman The Honourable Minister of Works and Housing Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola representing Nigeria, has emerged the Chairman of Shelter Afrique (SHAF) Annual General Meeting (AGM) Bureau at the company’s’ 42nd AGM after an election held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja on 11th May, 2023. Fashola expressed with humility yet with deep sense of responsibility while responding to the acceptance of his nomination as the new Chairman of SHAF.  He said “the Nigerian government is transiting to another Administration in 18days time, we are embracing change but this is what SHAF needs to make progress, the change comes in different shapes, like changing board members, new ways of raising funds, having new directions, etc. He said the organization needed to introduce new strategies to restructure SHAF. The outgoing Chairman of Shelter Afrique AGM Bureau & Zimbabwe’s Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities Hon. Daniel Garwe while making his remark said “the housing sector needs helps in wealth creation, and employment in Africa “He encouraged members to pay their subscriptions to help the company to survive in the face of Covid -19 pandemic in it's after mat while emphasizing that Africa needed Housing for its citizens. The previous election of SHAF was held in Cameron in 2021, subsequently, Rwanda will be chairing the next meeting in 2024. Nigeria is now the current host of the 2023 meeting while Algeria will host the AGM in 2025 ...