Housing Ministry Conducts Free Eye Screening For Staff    * Initiative, a management responsibility, an important part of staff welfare - Belgore    In a proactive move to enhance the well being and work place productivity of officers, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, has organised  a free eye screening exercise for staff of the Ministry, thursday 31st July, 2025.   The screening was conducted in collaboration with the Nothernlight Eye Center, Abuja led by Dr. Justice Amadi.   In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary Dr. Shuaib Belgore emphasized that the initiative was an important part of staff welfare, pointing out that the eyes medically, mirrors what happens in the body; “when they look into your eyes, they can see what is happening with your blood vessels all over the body”, he said.   While he noted that eye diseases can indicate broader health issues, such as hypertension, diabetes and hepatitis, the Permanent Secretary mentioned that the Ministry would also conduct free comprehensive screenings in those health areas in time to come, stressing on the need for early detection and treatment.   Dr. Belgore, who is also a medical doctor highlighted the high rate of sudden deaths in the country, and sought the cooperation of the staff with the Nothernlight Eye Center team, saying that it was the responsibility of the management of the Ministry to help staff find solutions to the diagnosis they would get.   He clarified that eye disorders were not just about refractive errors that require the use of glasses but also include serious conditions like glaucoma, which can lead to blindness if untreated.   While stressing that the aim of the exercise was for prevention and early intervention to maintain eye health and quality of life, he charged the Directors and members of staff to take the screening as an opportunity to detect issues with their eyes, as well as take advantage of interventions by the management.   Dr. Belgore further informed of the availability of additional free surgical assistance for eye disorders like cataracts and glaucoma by the eye Center;   " We are a ministry with a very large number of staff. We're not selecting some to benefit, we want everybody, to be part of this”, Belgore said.   Earlier, the Director of the Human Resource Management, Dr. Akinola Adesina, informed that it was part of the eye center’s social responsibility to conduct the free eye screening for the staff of the Ministry.   He thanked the Permanent Secretary for approving the exercise even with his presence, to ensure that staff with eye challenges get interventions.   On his part, the team leader of the Northernlight Eye Center, Dr. Justice Amadi, stated that the free eye screening programme was part of ways to tackle the growing concerns of visual impairments.   He informed that the programme aims to detect those with visual abnormalities and provide appropriate treatment to align with the World Health Organization goals, particularly the 2025 target of preventing blindness.   Dr. Amadi also noted that their focus was on diagnosing and giving effective treatment plans to various eye conditions, including cancer, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and refractive errors. ...

Housing Minister Declares Open 19th Africa International Housing Show Unceils New State by State Housing  Campain   * Says FG to convene States Housing Roundtables   * To embed Housing Reform Champions in State Governments   Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, officially declared open the 19th Edition of the Africa International Housing Show (AIHS), reaffirming the commitment of the Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bridge Nigeria’s housing gap through bold, inclusive, and innovative reforms. Delivering his opening address at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, before an audience of Ministers, Members of Parliament, Ambassadors, development partners, housing professionals, financial institutions, and private sector leaders from across Africa and beyond, Arc. Dangiwa stressed that affordability remains the biggest barrier to homeownership on the continent, despite growing housing supply efforts.   “Across Africa, millions of families still cannot afford decent homes even when they are available. This administration is not just building houses; we are fixing the structural and macroeconomic foundations that will make housing truly affordable and sustainable for Nigerians today and in the future,” the Minister said.   He highlighted the Federal Government’s three-tier Renewed Hope Housing Programme - comprising Renewed Hope Cities, Renewed Hope Estates, and Renewed Hope Social Housing Estates - as the blueprint for delivering affordable homes nationwide.    To date, over ₦70 billion in private capital has been mobilized under Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to drive large-scale urban housing developments. The Minister also spotlighted key interventions by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), including the Rent-to-Own Scheme and Rental Assistance Product, designed to ease housing pressure on urban workers and young families, as well as the upcoming MOFI Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF) to expand access to long-term mortgage loans at affordable rates.   In a major announcement, Arc. Dangiwa unveiled plans for a State-by-State Homeownership and Housing Development Campaign, a collaborative initiative with State Governments, private developers, and development partners aimed at bridging policy execution gaps at sub-national levels.   “We will embed Housing Reform Champions in State Governments, convene State Housing Roundtables, and provide hands-on support to structure viable housing projects and unlock financing opportunities,” the Minister explained.   He further reiterated the commitment of the Ministry to urban renewal and slum upgrades, aligning with the UN-Habitat Global Action Plan and the Addis Declaration on Inclusive Urban Development to ensure that “no one and no place is left behind.”   Arc. Dangiwa called on development finance institutions, donor agencies, and the private sector to partner with the Federal Government in transforming shared knowledge from forums like AIHS into tangible results for Nigerians.   “Housing is not a privilege. It is a right. When we invest in housing, we invest in people, jobs, cities, and our collective future,” he said.   The 19th Africa International Housing Show is expected to attract thousands of participants and exhibitors from across Africa and globally, serving as a strategic platform for dialogue, partnership building, and showcasing innovative solutions to Africa’s housing challenges. ...

Housing Minister Assures Contractors of Payments, Urges them Not to Despair   Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa has assured the contractors of the ongoing Renewed Hope Estates nationwide of their payments as soon as practicable.   The Minister spoke in Kano, Friday, July 25th, 2025 during an inspection of the ongoing construction of the Renewed Hope City and Estate in Lambu, Kano State.   Arc. Dangiwa was responding to the complaints of non payments by the contractors handling the Renewed Hope Estate project in Kano, assuring them that government was working to have their payments effected as soon as practicable.   “ I urge you not to despair as all your payments would be made as soon as practicable" he stated.   The Minister was on the inspection along with the minister of state, Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Yusuf Ata and some Directors of the ministry.    The federal government through the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is currently constructing 250 units Renewed Hope estate in 12 states across the six geo- political zones of the country under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Housing Programme.   Provision is also being finalized to flag off construction of the same project in the remaining 24 states in order to make affordable housing available for Nigerians.   Government is also constructing seven Renewed Hope Cities, one in each geo-political zone and FCT, with the Kano, Lagos and FCT cities in advanced stage, while the take off in the remaining four zones of north east, north central, south south and south esat is in the offing.    Arc. Dangiwa commended the contractors of the Kano renewed hope estate for the progress of work so far despite the delay in getting payments, assuring them that they will be sorted out soon.   The Minister and team also inspected the site of the Kano 2000 units Renewed Hope City which is under the PPP financing  arrangement, appreciated the progress of work, and charged the developers to adhere with the delivey timeline of end of August, 2025.    "Housing provision is in the priority list of this administration. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intends to bridge the housing gap in Nigeria by making housing available and affordable to all categories of Nigerians", he remarked.   ...