FMW&H Rehabilitates and Engages Facility Managers For 24 FG Secretariats Across the Country – Official

The Director, Department of Federal Public Assets Maintenance (FPAM) in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing Arc. Tina Onokwai, said the Ministry has engaged Facility Managers for the 24 Federal Government Secretariats in the six geo-political zones.

She made this remark while presenting her departmental progress report at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja this week.

The Director explained that each Facility Manager carried out the Janitorial, Security, Horticulture and Minor repair works at the Federal Government Secretariats and a total number of Fifty-Nine (59) Workers, which included Plumbers, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, carpenters, cleaners, Security personnel, gardeners and administrative staff, were engaged by the Facility Managers.

“The 24 Federal Secretariats engaged a total of 1,416 Workers thereby socially and economically impacting the Nigerian Society, and the Gross Domestic Product index (GDP) of the country ‘’ she stated.

She added that the tools and consumables procured for the work of facility management were varied and included detergents, disinfectants, air fresheners brooms, glass wipes, industrial extension cables, scrubbing machines chemical sprayers, lawn mowers, sprinklers and hoses among others while the procurement of these items enabled the creation of wealth even at the grassroots.

According to the Director, the Ministry also carried out the rehabilitation in phases and the rehabilitation works in each Secretariat engaged 5,445 direct labour consisting of contractor and labour, 465 Suppliers and 514 food vendors, while about 6,424 employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled Nigerians, including suppliers and food vendors nationwide were granted.

The Director reiterated   that the rehabilitation and facility management works on the Secretariats   were in line with the National Public Buildings Maintenance Policy that provided a framework and attendant guidelines for the management and maintenance of all Federal Government-owned buildings across the country.

“The vision of the policy is that every government public building asset in the country will be maintained in an efficient and sustainable manner to preserve the value of the asset and achieve the purpose for which it was built” she maintained.

She expressed delight that the Economic empowerment derived from these programmes drives, which according to her, drives the purchasing power of market men and women as they engage in economic activities such as shopping for food stuffs, clothing, undertaking healthcare, paying rent or school fees and so on improved within the period.

”This process positively drives money circulation in the economy from one economic sector to the other and  on the side of the Federal Government, the economic impact is to: Improve the Asset value and preservation of Public Buildings,’’  She said , adding that aside ensuring better returns on investment , the process  optimizes the asset utilization and Promotes efficiency of operations especially among the staff thereby supporting the growth of a Maintenance Economy.

Minister Of State Works And Housing Sympathizes With Traders Over Potiskum Market Fire

The Minister of State for Works and Housing, Engineer Abubakar D. Aliyu, has sympathized with traders who lost their goods at the Saturday fire that razed most parts of the Potiskum Central Market in Yobe State.

The minister, in a statement on Sunday, extended his heartfelt sympathy to all the traders affected by the fire incident, praying to Almighty Allah (SWT) to replace their monumental loss.

The Potiskum market fire occurred on March 6, 2021, and razed down shops majorly around Layin Masko, thereby destroying goods worth millions of naira, according to eye witnesses.

Engineer Aliyu said: “It is with heavy heart that I extend my sympathy to the traders of Potiskum Central Market who lost their property in the tragic fire incident that occurred Saturday night, March 6, 2021.

“I prayed to Almighty Allah (SWT) to console the traders who lost multi-million naira goods in the tragedy. I also prayed to Almighty Allah to replenish their wealth once again.” 

The minister said the tragedy has not affected only the traders who lost their property, but the entire good people of Potiskum and Yobe state in general. 

Remarks By The Hon. Minister Of Housing And Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, At The Ground-Breaking For The 250-Housing Unit Renewed Hope Estate In Oyo State On Tuesday, July 9, 2024

Protocols

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

First, I would like to thank His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde for honoring our invitation to the groundbreaking for a 250-housing unit Renewed Hope Estate here in the State’s capital. This event was originally scheduled to hold last week but we had to move it forward owing to a presidential engagement. I thank His Excellency for understanding with us and regret all inconveniences that may have been caused by the change of schedule. 

Today’s ceremony is a continuation of the nationwide groundbreaking exercise for housing projects under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, launched in February with the groundbreaking of a 3,112-housing unit in Karsana, Abuja.

Under Phase One of this programme, we plan to deliver a total of 50,000 housing units across Nigeria. This includes 7 Renewed Hope Cities that will have between 500 and 1,000 housing units per site in each of the six geopolitical zones in the country and the FCT, while the Renewed Hope Estates will have 250 units per site in the remaining thirty (30) states.

With this housing programme, we plan to unlock the massive potential of housing development to create jobs, uplift lives, and boost economic development. This is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President to STIMULATE INCLUSIVE GROWTH, LIFT 100 MILLION NIGERIANS OUT OF POVERTY, AND BUILD A $1 TRILLION ECONOMY.

As you may recall, last month, following the presidential launch of the programme in Abuja, we embarked on the first leg of this exercise with the groundbreaking of 1,500 housing units in the northern part of Nigeria. This includes 250-housing unit Renewed Hope Estates, one each in Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, and Sokoto, and a 500-housing unit Renewed Hope City in Kano. Work is currently ongoing at each of these sites, and our plan is to have all of them 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. UNDER THE RENEWED HOPE AGENDA, WE ARE IMPLEMENTING A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR UNCOMPLETED PROJECTS.

Today’s event in Oyo completes the second leg of the exercise with groundbreaking for a total of 2,000 Renewed Hope Housing Units across eight (8) states in the South and North Central. We started two weeks ago on Wednesday July 26th with 250 units in Ebonyi. Same week Thursday we were in Abia for another 250 units, Friday we were in Akwa Ibom for another 250 units, and Saturday we were in Delta State for another 250 units. 

Last week Monday we were in Osun State to flag off 250 units. Friday we proceeded to Benue State to break ground for 250 units and Saturday we were in Nasarawa State to flag off another 250 units. Today’s groundbreaking in Oyo, marks the 8th under the second leg and the 13th location since the Presidential flag off in February with a total of 3,500 housing units.  

This estate comprises 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.

We have designed these housing units in a way that makes them affordable for people to acquire by using organic designs to allow for future expansion as the income of beneficiaries increases. This means that a 1-bedroom unit can be expanded to 2 bedrooms, and a 2-bedroom unit can also be expanded to 3 bedrooms as the owner’s financial situation improves or their family grows.

As we perform this groundbreaking, I want to charge the contractors
1. Messrs Skyhawk Nig. Ltd
2. Messrs Plusvaz Nigeria Ltd
3. Messrs Blue Sea Investment Ltd
4. Messrs Harama Global Ltd

to ensure that they build according to specifications. I want to emphasize in very strong terms that we will not tolerate substandard work from any developer, and we will explore all necessary legal means, to ensure that they deliver as per the contract. IF YOU COLLECT GOVERNMENT MONEY, YOU MUST DO THE WORK.

We also want the developers to adhere to the timeline and finish within three months so that we can begin the process of getting Oyo indigenes to purchase and move in.

To ensure affordability, we have created different options to enable everyone who has a source of income and livelihood to own these homes when they are completed. These include single-digit mortgage loans that beneficiaries can repay over 30 years, rent-to-own schemes provided by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, and outright purchase options for those who can afford to pay upfront.

Statistics show that the construction of one housing unit creates an average of 25 direct and indirect jobs. So, for these 250 housing units in Oyo State, we hope to create jobs for over 6,500 people in various trades, from professionals like architects, civil engineers, and mechanical engineers to masons, plumbers, tilers, electricians, and laborers. We have seen unskilled workers at other project sites earning as much as N35,000 per week, at an average of N5,000 per day. This amounts to about N140,000 per month.

This is in addition to the economic activities, including those selling food, supplying blocks, and providing building materials. The value chain effect of construction work on this site is significant and creates a positive economic impact.

I want to state that under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, we at the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development are very particular about giving Nigerians value for money. We are diligently funding these projects from the N50 billion 2023 Supplementary Budget that Mr. President approved for the Ministry to ensure sustainability, quality, and geographic spread.

It is important to say that the provision of land in a good location and at no cost is a key condition for siting Renewed Hope Housing Projects. The twelve states covered under this 2023 supplementary budget are those that first provided land. I want to assure that states that have not been covered will be included in the Ministry’s 2024 Budget on a first-come, first-served basis, on the condition that they provide land at no cost to enhance affordability.

At this juncture, I want to appreciate and thank His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde for promptly granting our request for the provision of land at no cost. This singular action has helped us to reduce as much as 30% of the cost of the units in this Estate for the benefit of potential homeowners. This is a dividend of responsible governance and I applaud Your Excellency for this. 

Before I close my remarks, I want to thank and appreciate our President for providing the vision and the political will necessary for us to make a difference in terms of delivering decent and quality housing to Nigerians. The Groundbreaking ceremonies for these projects demonstrate that Mr. President and indeed the federal government of Nigeria is committed to fulfilling promises and responsibilities to all Nigerians.

Long live Oyo State and His Excellency, the Executive Governor.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Long live Mr. President.
 

Welcome Remarks By The Hon. Minister Of State For Housing And Urban Development, Alh. Tijjani Gwarzo At The Official Groundbreaking Ceremony For 250-Housing Units Renewed Hope Estate In Oyo On Tuesday July 9 2024

Protocols

Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen. 

I want to begin my remarks by specially welcoming the Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde. We are happy to have you here with us today.

It is indeed my pleasure to welcome you all, on behalf of the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, to the groundbreaking ceremony for the 250-housing unit Renewed Hope Estate.

This project is part of a Nationwide Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme of the Ministry, which His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu officially launched earlier this year in Abuja, under which we plan to deliver 50,000 housing units in phase one.

Our broad aim through this programme is to TURN THE COUNTRY INTO A HUGE CONSTRUCTION SITE, unlock the power of the housing sector to create jobs, boost economic development, and help achieve Mr. President's goal to build a $1 trillion economy. 

This 250-housing units Estate project will create job opportunities during the construction phase for masons, bricklayers, plumbers, electricians, traders, and suppliers of building materials.

We look forward to quality construction work and a timely completion of the project.

Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I want to thank you for sparing time out of your very busy schedules to be here with us today.

Thank you, and God bless.