Senate Committee on Housing Supports Case for N500 Billion Annual Allocation for Renewed Hope Cities & Estates Programme   …Says Inflation, Huge Deficit Render Current Budget Insignificant   …Allocation for Housing Development Not Free Money but Profitable Investment, Says Minister   The Senate Committee on Lands, Housing, and Urban Development has thrown its support to the push by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa for N500 Billion in annual allocation to support the implementation of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates programme.   Reacting to the Minister’s briefing during an oversight invitation by the committee, the Chairman, Sen. Aminu Tambuwal, assured the Minister of full support to ensure he achieves the mandate of the Ministry, especially in the area of housing development.   Also reacting, the Vice Chairman, Sen. Victor Umeh noted that the case for N500 Billion by the Minister is justified, considering the huge housing deficit in the country, inflationary trends, and troubling foreign exchange. “At the end of the day, even that N500 Billion may not be able to do so much,” he said.   Earlier in his briefing, Arc. Dangiwa noted that budgetary provision for the housing and urban sector has not matched the housing and urban development needs of the nation for many years.   “There is a massive historic mismatch between the housing and urban development needs of our country versus budgetary provision. Rough statistics show that we need an annual increase in housing stock of about 550,000 units over the next ten years to meet the need. This would require about N5.5 trillion per annum.    “We are aware that all these cannot come from the Government and are working on Public Private Partnerships and other sources of housing finance. But the government needs to do more,” he said.   While he noted the transformative efforts of the Ministry in the last one year, he decried the insufficient allocation. “In the 2023 Supplementary budget we got N100bn. In 2024 we received approval for about N80bn. This is a far cry from what is needed to make a difference.   “I am taking the opportunity to make a solemn request for your consideration, Distinguished Senators, for the provision of a minimum of N500bn Budgetary Allocation Per Annum to the Ministry. This is less than 10% of the N5.5Trn annual requirement for tackling Nigeria’s housing challenge. It is important to state that this is not free money but a profitable investment. The houses will be built, sold and the money returned back to government over time. This is besides the jobs that will be created and the boost to the national economy.   “I must emphasize that money spent in housing development is not wasted money. It is an economic, social and security investment in our country. Housing is a catalyst for economic development, job creation and it should be prioritized alongside works, roads and bridges. In fact, over 80% of the money deployed to housing comes back in terms of value to the economy and national development,” he said.   The Minister further noted that housing development is a key catalyst for job creation, lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, and helping to achieve a $1 Trillion economy, which are key priorities of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.   Dangiwa further took out time to brief the lawmakers on the milestones achieved by the Ministry since his appointment in August 2023, including the flag-off for a total of 6,612 housing units across 13 states and the Federal Capital Territory since the launch of the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates programme by President Bola Tinubu in February 2024. Most of the units are slated to be completed by the end of 2024. He noted that, although the plan was to build 500 housing units in each of the 30 states as Renewed Hope Estates, budgetary constraints have forced the Ministry to limit it to 250 units per state in the meantime.   Other key milestones are Slum Upgrade and Urban Renewal programme taking place in 26 locations across the country, as well as the inauguration of Four Reforms Task Teams to entrench synergy between housing institutions, enhance their housing delivery capacities, develop actionable blueprints for implementing land reforms and establishing a National Land Commission, as well as set up modalities for establishing Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs in the six (6) geopolitical zones of the country.   Other members of the committee urged the Minister to rapidly expand the programme to accommodate more states not captured in the first round of Ground-breaking exercises, with the Minister emphasizing that the only criteria for siting the projects is the provision of free, unencumbered land by the state governments.   ...

Minister of Housing Orders Investigation on Jos Building Collapse   …Promises Decisive Action Against Culprits   Following the unfortunate collapse of the Saint Academy School building in the Busa Buji area of Plateau State on Friday, 12 July 2024, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has directed the Plateau State Controller of the Ministry to embark on an immediate and comprehensive investigation to ascertain the cause of the collapse and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.   Reacting to the tragic incident, the Minister described the collapse as yet another unfortunate tragedy for the nation due to the negligence and unscrupulous behavior of certain individuals during the construction process. "Unfortunately, the issue of building collapse has once again reared its ugly head in our nation. This is unacceptable because every time something like this happens, there's a mother or father who has lost a child, a child who has lost a parent, or an individual who has lost a sibling or friend.   "The cost of building collapse cannot be quantified because lives are involved. In this case, it was a school with students whose only offense was to leave their homes in search of knowledge. This is totally unacceptable," he said.   Arc. Dangiwa stated that a directive has been issued to the appropriate officials of the Ministry to carry out a full-scale investigation into the incident.   "I have directed an investigation, and we will get to the bottom of this. I want to assure Nigerians that this investigation will not go the same way as others in the past where nobody is prosecuted for wrongdoing. We will ensure anyone found culpable faces the full weight of the law. I know that prosecution will not bring back those we have lost to this tragedy, but it will serve as a deterrent to others who may be involved in such practices," he noted.   A statement by the National Emergency Management Authority revealed that more than 40 students have been rescued from the rubble, with many of them still hospitalized in various health facilities in Jos. "We will allow rescue operations to be concluded by NEMA, and we hope that we will not record any more casualties.   "I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of those whose lives were cut short by this unfortunate and preventable tragedy. It is a national loss, and we share in their grief. For those in the hospital, our prayers and thoughts are with them, and we wish them a good recovery, while we charge the health personnel to rise to the occasion and save these precious lives," he added.   Dangiwa further noted that while it may be difficult to rewrite the wrongs of the past, the Ministry is committed to ensuring that the incidence of building collapse is prevented in the future by collaborating with relevant agencies to enforce building standards and regulations in the country. This is evident in the strong warnings issued to developers of ongoing Renewed Hope Cities and Estates projects in the country, as well as control and monitoring mechanisms set up by the Ministry.   "As a result of the complexity of the housing sector, the Ministry has to collaborate with agencies of government to promote the enforcement of building codes. We will not relent in this commitment to ensure that Nigerians can sleep in their homes, work at their various places of business, or even learn in their schools with peace of mind knowing that the building will not collapse on them," he said.   ...

Housing Ministry Completes Second Leg Groundbreaking Exercise of Renewed Hope Housing Programme     *  To construct 2000 Housing Units across eight States    The second leg groundbreaking exercise of Renewed Hope Housing Programme covering eight states across the geo -political zones has been concluded today, Tuesday,  July 9th, 2024, in Ibadan, Oyo State.   The eight states covered under the second leg were; Ebonyi and Abia (south east), Akwa Ibom and  Delta (south-south), Osun and Oyo (south-west), and Benue and Nasarawa states (north-central).    Last month, the first leg of the exercise included groundbreaking for 1,500 units in five northern states which covered Renewed Hope Estates in Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, and Sokoto, and a Renewed Hope City in Kano.   Honorable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa,  led the groundbreaking ceremony for the 250-housing unit Renewed Hope Estate in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, with the assurance of completion of all the housing projects in a couple of months.    The Oyo event marks the completion of the second round Groundbreaking exercise, resulting in a total of 2,000 housing units across eight states.    The phase one of the Renewed Hope Housing Programme aims to deliver 50,000 housing units across Nigeria, including seven Renewed Hope Cities with 500-1,000 units each in the six geopolitical zones and the FCT, and 250-unit Renewed Hope Estates in the remaining thirty states.   The programme aims to create jobs, uplift lives, and boost economic development, aligning with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda to stimulate inclusive growth, lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, and build a $1 trillion economy.   Work is ongoing at the various project sites in all the states selected under phase one, with plans for completion within a few months.    The Oyo estate will consist of 50 one-bedroom semi-detached bungalows, 150 two-bedroom semi-detached bungalows, and 50 three-bedroom semi-detached bungalows.    The housing units are designed for affordability and future expansion, allowing owners to expand their homes as their financial situation improves.   Dangiwa tasked the contractors in Oyo state; Skyhawk Nig. Ltd, Plusvaz Nigeria Ltd, Blue Sea Investment Ltd, and Harama Global Ltd with ensuring high-quality construction.    Hw emphasized zero tolerance for substandard work and the necessity of adhering to timelines.    Various purchasing options for the houses include; single-digit mortgage loans, rent-to-own schemes by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, and outright purchase options, have been created to ensure affordability for all Nigerians.   The construction of these 250 units in every state is expected to create over 6,500 jobs across various trades, contributing to significant economic activity and impact.   The project will also generate numerous economic activities, benefiting those involved in food sales, block supply, and building material provision.   The Housing Minister emphasized the importance of land provision for these projects. States not covered under the 2023 supplementary budget will be included in the 2024 Budget, provided they offer land at no cost.    The Minister thanked Oyo State Governor, Oluwaseyi Makinde for providing land at no cost, reducing housing costs by up to 30%. He also expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his vision and political will to deliver quality housing to Nigerians.   The Renewed Hope Housing Programme continues to demonstrate the federal government’s commitment to fulfilling its promises and responsibilities to the Nigerian people.   ...