We Will Ensure Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Building Collapse  – Dangiwa   * Reviews Recommendations of Building Collapse Committee with Regulatory Bodies  * Charges the Commitee to develop a checklist of professionals involved in construction process to ease investigation   Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa,  has stated that the ministry would ensure prosection of persons responsible for building collapse in the country.    The Minister stated this during a review meeting of recommendations of the ministry's building collapse commitee along side regulatory bodies in the built environment.    To ensure proper investigation and prosecution of the Culprits, the minister also charged the Ministry's Committee on building collapse to develop a checklist of professionals involved in the construction process in order to ease investigation and identifying the Culprits.   Dangiwa told the committee " You must come up with a checklist of things to observe during inspection or assessment of building collapse and there must be a column to aportion blame to who is culpable"    According to the Minister, the checklist must ensure quality assurance of the design,  concrete quality, slumb and soil tests  before the construction, who designed the building, who certified the designer, who approved the design and who supervised the construction so as to identify those culpable to stop the embarrassing tie of building collapse in the country.   "Once there is building collapse, we should immediately move there with our checklist, identify it and fill in. Once that is done, you can independently sit down and identify the culprit and support it with tangible evidence that this is the person that hasn't done the correct thing, either the design had not been done or the professional not certified or development control has not given approval or supervision was not done by a professional and it was converted to different use".   The checklist when developed would be presented to  the National Council on Housing for all to understand and be carried along in the implementation.   Dangiwa requested the regulatory bodies in the built environment to forward their  submissions and inputs to the committee on building collapse set up by the ministry for consideration and inclusion in the checklist.   Earlier the Committee on building collapse had presented Twelve recommendations for consideration among which are as follows; Reconstitution of the National Building Code Advisory Committee, Review of the Acts establishing ARCON; CORBON and TOPREC to make them more effective in curbing quackery; Implementation of punitive measures and sanctions for professional negligence, regulatory bodies to collaborate in event of collapse amongst others.   Commenting on the Committee's recommendations, the Chairman of the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), Bldr. Samson Ameh Opaluwah fnib, comended the Honourable Minister for this initiative and his laudable achievements within one year in office.   "Before, when there was an incident of building collapse, nothing  was done to it but this initiative shows that the Federal Government and the Ministry are concerned and ready to tackle this issue to ensure safety and security of lives and properties.   Many of the regulators advocated for the implementation of punitive measures on those found wanting to curb the menace of building collapse in the country.   They called on the ministry to resuscitate the training schools for Artisans and Technicians to train more Artisans, Carpenters and Technicians to follow exactly the specifications in the drawings while doing their work to ensure a perfect job.   The regulatory bodies present at the meeting were; The Council for the Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN) Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), Town Planners Registration Council (TOPREC), Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) and others.   ...

Ministry of Housing to Assist Nigerian Airforce Acquire Affordable Houses for Officers    Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has assured the Nigerian AirForce of the readiness of the  Ministry to provide  housing units to its personnel under the National Housing Program (NHP) at subsidized rates.   The Minister disclosed this when the Chief of Air staff, Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, led a delegation of key officers from NAF on a courtesy visit to the Ministry in Abuja.   While appreciating the dedication of the Nigerian Airforce to providing security and protection of sovereignty of the nation, the Minister reiterated the obligation of the ministry to provide affordable housing for all class of Nigerians, covering low, middle and high level income earners.    He stated "As the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, we recognize the importance of providing suitable housing for members of the Nigerian Airforce. We assure our commitment to working with you towards meeting the needs of our Airforce."    Dangiwa noted that the leadership of the Ministry under the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu provided various options to enable Nigerians become home owners, saying that the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates programme launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at Karsana, Abuja  is one opportunity available to Nigerians for home ownership    According to him, the program which aims at providing 50,000 affordable housing to Nigerians nationwide under phase 1,  has started in 13 locations of the country with the Cities in Abuja to contain 3112 Units, 500 units in Kano state under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, and 1,500 units ongoing in Lagos, in partnership with Federal Mortgage Bank Nigeria (FMBN).   Dangiwa also explained that construction of houses was currently ongoing in 12 locations across the nation, two states in each geopolitical zones of the country where lands were provided and currently at various level of completion     Similarly the Minister highlighted the various purchasing options available to potential buyers to include; Outright, Rent -to - own, instalmental and mortgage loan with a single digit interest payable under 30 years period.   To ensure seamless accessibility in acquiring the houses Dangiwa added that the ministry has launched Renewed Hope Housing  Portal   Speaking on the  National Housing Program (NHP) constructed by the previous administration in the 30 states of the federation,  Dangiwa explained, the houses have been advertised and have been over subscribed, saying also that the ownership option plans made available to prospectus buyers also include; outright purchase  installmental payment, mortgage loan as well as rent-to-own.   Responding to the request for the National Housing in Bauchi, the Minister said, “We are ready to offer the whole estate in Bauchi to the Nigerian Air Force at a discounted rate to offer installmental payments as the chief of Air staff deems fit to pay"   The minister directed the Permanent Secretary to coordinate the teams from both the Ministry and the Airforce to undertake  an  assessment tour of the NHP site in Bauchi state in order to facilitate a speedy process of acquisition, giving assurance,  the discounts will cover the cost of repairs for some of the houses that have become dilapidated.   On appeal to engage the Nigerian Airforce Investment Limited Housing and Construction Company,  the Minister gave assurance that the company would be considered for the next procurement bid since the Ministry has just concluded its procurement process.   While expressing his elation on the Post- Service Housing pursuit of the Nigeria Airforce for its personnel, Dangiwa acknowledged the gesture as a welfare that could  boost the morale for both serving and soon to retire officers.   He said, "we want to offer you the National House Programme across  the country and the Renewed Hope Estates and Cities across the country," suggesting Nigeria Airforce could purchase their preferences either by outright purchase or instalmental thereafter make deductions from the pensions of beneficiary to recoup the money.   Speaking earlier, the Chief of Air Staff,  Air Marshal Bala Abubarkar, while commending the Minister for the achievement recorded so far under his leadership,  said they were in the ministry to seek collaboration on providing affordable houses for Airforce personnel covering both the officers in service and post -service.   Air Marshall Abubakar told the Minister that they also came to appeal for the NHP Bauchi housing units to either be given to Nigeria Airforce free or sold to them at a discounted rate with friendly payment terms, as acquiring it will go a long way to enhance the "operational readiness of the force.   Tge Chief of Air Staff also requested collaboration with the Ministry on engaging the Nigeria  Airforce Investment Limited Housing and Construction Company in the ongoing construction of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estate projects across the country, affirming the company  has handled several civil works and construction of houses such as the one the force has in Asokoro.   ...

FG  Plans Building Material Manufacturing Hubs In Six Geo- Political Zones In Nigeria *  Seeks Collaboration with Investors   Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has disclosed plan of the ministry to construct building materials manufacturing hubs in six geo- political zones of the country.   Dangiwa made the disclosure when he received the Executive Chairman, Zheng Xiaopeng and Vice Chairman, Yiwu China- Africa Business Council, High Chief Mike Yousuf Ugwu, on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.   The Minister said, " We want to tell that we have one project that we are designing to build; Building Materials Manufacturing Hub. We want to build a hub whereby we have industries or factories that are producing building materials."   He explained that the building materials manufacturing hubs would be situated in six geo-political locations of the country ; Sagamu in South West, Aba in South East, Warri or Asaba in South South, Ajaokuta in North Central, Kano in North West and Gombe in North East.   " So, that is our invitation. We want to collaborate with any investor willing to bring funding to build the hub, even if it is two or three hubs, manage it, recoup the investment then give us after recouping the investment," he said.   On the security of the locations, the Minister assured that the locations are secured, adding that the intention of the ministry is to have them built in locations where building materials markets already existed.   Explaining the concept of a building material manufacturing hub, the Minister said that the manufacturing hubs will be where building materials are manufactured and they will have facilities like power, water and even housing for workers where they would be comfortable and not go out till work is completed.   Accordingly, building materials like roofing sheets, ceilings, tiles, doors amongst others are the items these hubs will be manufacturing in their respective locations across the country.   In addition, the Minister informed that the ministry was not going to present any form of design to any investor, urging them to bring up their own designs to suit the ministry's concept.   "We cannot give you design since you have taken our concept, " he noted.    He also revealed that a minimum of a  hundred hecters of land will be provided for the interested investors, saying that the manufacturing hubs could come in small, medium or large hubs and that they will be  bringing in their manufacturing  machines and equipment.    Arc Dangiwa further encouraged interested investors to present the proposed design of any size of the building materials manufacturing hub of interest, be it small, medium or large to the ministry.   Similay, he also explained the Chinese concept of the building material manufacturing hubs where the items were produced and thereafter purchased and imported to Nigeria, saying that the federal government wants same replicated in Nigeria in order to reduce cost of importation, create jobs for the teeming Nigerians as well as enhance economic growth and development of the country.   The minister also informed of the intention of the government to make all the building materials manufacturing hubs designated free zones areas.   Earlier in his remarks, the High Chief Mike Yousouf Ugwu, told the Minister that he was in the ministry on behalf of Yiwu China - African Business Council, to seek  collaboration in the area of housing construction.    He mentioned that the Commission had constructed housing for permanent staff for the government of Kenya, saying that funding would not be an impediment to handling any construction job awarded to it.   The High Chief applauded the Minister for the idea of having building materials manufacturing hubs in Nigeria, which he described as a good vision to move the housing sector forward   He requested for clarification if the building materials manufacturing hubs will be a free zone areas where machines and equipment to be shipped in for use would enjoy free imprt duties, aside the the items manufactured in the factories, saying that the gesture would make it attractive for his commission and partners to invest in the building material manufacturing hubs being proposed by the ministry.  ...