Fashola Charges States to Embark on Land Reformation to Ease Housing Delivery, Finance The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has given a charge to State Governments to reform the process that governs the allocation of land and issuance of title documents such as Certificate of Occupancy in a bid to facilitate housing delivery and finance. Fashola gave the charge in Sokoto, Thursday at the eleventh Meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development with the theme "Housing Our People, By All of Government and All Our People.” The Minister noted that the title documents are important to facilitate housing delivery and housing finance that government at all levels should pay more attention to, in addition to the process involved in granting permits for construction and approvals. He explained that citizens would need land as they prefer to build their houses by themselves because buying of houses built by government do not interest them, as such simplifying the processes would help in that regard, noting that housing provision is a collaborative effort by all levels of government and the private sector. " We must therefore reform the process that governs allocation of land and issuance of title documents such as Certificates of Occupancy" he said Accordingly, the Minister said that the bulk of the work to be done on lands lies with the States because of their almost total control of land by virtue of the Land Use Act. The Minister also encouraged State Governments who were yet to digitize their land acquisition to do so in order to facilitate the issuance of title document as well as encourage investors who might need land to establish one business or the other. On the payment of rent in advance, Fashola said "I hold a strong view that asking for 2 to 3 years rent in advance from working class people (as distinct from corporate tenants who may prefer to pay in advance) does more harm than good to all concerned and to the economy," He urged that State governments and Lawmakers to come up with policy that could ensure payment of rent is made after collecting salary, saying it would be a most revolutionary intervention rent payment system in the country. "This is possible if we try and this will give the fullest possible expression to the theme of this meeting which is “Housing Our People, By All of Government and All Our People." he said Fashola also informed the delegates that the National Housing Programme initiated by Federal Ministry of Works and Housing at the onset of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration has been completed and handed over to the beneficiaries He noted that the programme has begun to deliver the objectives for which it was created such as owning a house and job creation to lift people out of poverty through the engagement of engineers, builders, masons, and food vendors to work on the various sites across 34 states and FCT "The construction sites have been and remain centres of supply for building materials and other commodities. Many people who hitherto were unemployed have had their dignity restored because they can leave home every day saying to their families – I AM GOING TO WORK," he said. The Minister also stated that many houses have been completed and are now being handed over to the beneficiaries who follow the allocation procedure set out in the National Housing Programme web portal (https://nhp.worksandhousing.gov.ng)," For flexibility and easy purchase of the houses, Fashola stated that a Rent-to-Own option has been introduced into the acquisition and sale. In his address, the Governor of Sokoto, Rt Hon, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal urged delegates to carefully study the presentation that has been put together by stakeholders to enable them make the most viable and effective decision which could become a model of preference in the built environment. ...

National Council on Housing Meeting Opens in Sokoto. The eleventh (11th) meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development has commenced in Sokoto, Sokoto State, North West, Nigeria, Monday, July 25th, 2022. The four-day meeting has the theme "Housing Our People by All of Government and All Our People." The meeting is taking place at Dankani Guest Palace Hotels Limited in the city of Sokoto. This annual meeting of stakeholders in the built industry is being organized by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing as part of its statutory mandate. The meeting is significant as stakeholders in the housing sector have the opportunity to gather, brainstorm, share ideas, identify challenges in the sector and adopt policies that will impact on moving the sector forward in the delivery of affordable houses to Nigerians. Participants at the meeting included; State Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, General Managers of Housing Corporations, Surveyor -Generals, Professional/Regulatory Agencies in the housing sector and other stakeholders in the built industry In an introductory remark, the Director, Planning, Research & Statistics, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Olajide Ode-Martins noted that the Federal Government would vitally need the full participation and collaboration of the State Governments and Private Sector in increasing the stock of affordable housing to Nigerians. " The theme of the Meeting presupposes that Federal Government alone cannot address the gap in the housing development across the country which brings to focus the fact that, State Governments and the Private Sectors are critical stakeholders that have to collaborate effectively towards addressing the housing challenges by bringing to the forefront desirable strategies to increase the stock of affordable houses to Nigerians," he said In a welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Sokoto State Ministry of Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Planning, Engr. Ahmed Moyi Tambuwal, said that provision of affordable shelter is a basic necessity for everyone. He said " We are all aware that, Shelter is a basic necessity to every citizen. Such shelter must be affordable while at the same time meets globally acceptable standards. It is critical to family security, child upbringing and economic growth," Engr. Tambuwal noted also that the absence of shelter renders the society vulnerable to precarious situations and backwardness. While drawing the attention of the participants to the importance of the theme of this year's council, the Permanent Secretary pointed out the importance of collective contribution in tackling the housing challenges in the Country, stating that every contribution no matter how small it might be would be important He disclosed that the Sokoto State government would willingly provide land and other requirements to interested developers in the built industry who might be willing to partner with the state in the provision of housing for the citizens. ...

El - Yakub Resumes Office as Minister of State, Works and Housing The newly appointed Minister of state for Works and Housing, Honourable Umar Ibrahim El - Yakub has resumed office this afternoon, Wednesday 13th July, 2022. During the handing over and taking over ceremony which took place at the conference hall of the Ministry headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja, El - Yakub who expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari pledged to work assiduously with the Honourable Minister Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola to ensure the sustainability and consolidation of the programmes and projects of the Federal Government by keying into the existing mandate of the Ministry and following in the footsteps of his immediate predecessor Mua'zu Jaji Sambo. He said, "I will work in line with the existing mandate of the Ministry to ensure that there is sustainability and consolidation of the programmes and projects of government, I will ensure that I contribute my best to the success of the Ministry and the country as a whole". The Minister extolled the importance of Infrastructure to the development of any nation. He said infrastructure brings people out of poverty, open the space for business by easing the movement of goods and services thereby improving the economy and living standards of the people. He praised the Federal government for the tremendous road and housing projects across the country noting that some of them were initiated and abandoned by previous administrations. In his remarks the immediate past Minister of state for Works and Housing, Mr. Mua'zu Jaji Sambo described the Federal Ministry Works and Housing as very critical to the development of the country because of the role it plays in the development of road and housing infrastructure which are central to development of other sectors such as mining, agriculture, petroleum, health and general wellbeing of the people. He praised the Buhari administration for the outstanding achievement it had recorded in Infrastructural development. He expressed profound gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the opportunity to work with the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN whom he described as an exemplary leader from whose exceptional knowledge and depth of experience he had benefited. Engineer Sambo who described the new Minister of state as a good friend who is simple, straight forward and unassuming, assured him of a healthy working relationship with Mr. Fashola, the Permanent Secretary and Directors of the Ministry. He expressed appreciation to the Directors and staff of the Ministry for the cooperation and support given to him while working with them and wished the Minister success as he assumes office. In his opening address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Bashir Nura Alkali described the occasion as one of mixed reactions because though the incoming Minister had been a friend of many decades, the support, guidance and advice of the outgoing Minister would be greatly missed.  He wished Engineer Sambo success in his new office as the Honourable Minister of Transportation. The Permanent Secretary pledged his support and that of the Directors to the new Minister of State. " You have some of the best professionals that will work with you to achieve the mandate of Mr. President", he added. The Director Human Resource Management of the Ministry, Aliyu Abdullahi who gave the vote of thanks, thanked Almighty God for the opportunity to work with the former Minister of State and the appointment of the new one. He said, " We in the Ministry are fortunate to have worked with the outgoing Minister had lucky for the coming of the Minister of State, we pray God to guide them." Before his appointment as the Honourable Minister of state for Works and Housing, Honourable Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub was the Senior Special Assistant to Mr. President on National Assembly Matters, and was a Member of the National Assembly. ...