Dangiwa Encourages Continuous Dialogue, Mutual Respect with Civil Servants Union 

* says consistent staff welfare, a priority 

Minister of Housing and Urban Development,  Arc Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has encouraged continuous dialogue, mutual respect, and the pursuit of shared goals between the leadership of the civil servants Union and the Management of the Ministry.

“Together, we can create a work environment that not only meets the aspirations of our workforce but also drives greater productivity, service delivery, and national development” he said.

Dangiwa spoke when he received the National leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) led by its President, Comrade Shehu Mohammed on a couresy vist to the Ministry, Tuesday, April 29th, 2025.

Dangiwa expressed the commitment of his leadership to building a Ministry where officers feel valued, opportunities for growth encouraged and welfare of staff consistently prioritized.

He appreciated the timely nature and significance of the visit in reflecting the spirit of partnership between organized pressure groups and the government;

“It shows that beyond the call of duty, there is a desire on your part to collaborate in building a stronger and more effective public service”, he added.

While acknowledging the indispensable role of the Civil Servants in driving the wheels of progress, he recognized that no policy, plan, or reform can succeed without the commitment and dedication of the workforce.

The Minister was pleased to inform the Union about the Renewed Hope Housing Programme embarked on by the Ministry, under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He noted that under the programme, Cities are currently being developed in Abuja, Lagos, and Kano states; and the Estates across twelve states nationwide, offering a variety of decent, quality, and affordable homes that civil servants can access.

Accordingly, Dangiwa explained that while some units under the Renewed Hope Cities may be priced beyond the immediate affordability of many civil servants, the Renewed Hope Estates, which are being directly delivered and subsidized by the Federal Government, offers affordable options specifically targeted at workers and low to medium-income earners.

He enlightened the Union of various structured and flexible financing options available through the Federal Mortgage Bank to include: a 30-year National Housing Fund mortgage loans, Rent-to-Own schemes, Installmental Payment plans, and
Outright purchase for those who have the capacity.

The Minister encouraged the civil servants to take advantage of the Renewed Hoped Estates and the financing opportunities available through the FMBN.

Speaking earlier, the National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Comrade Shehu Mohammed commended the Minister for initiating strategic plans to address the housing deficit in the country, noting that Nigerian civil servants, regardless of their income level, now have access to decent housing.

Comrade Mohammed also lauded the Minister’s commitment to resolving the issue of inadequate office space within the Ministry, as demonstrated by the ongoing construction of a new office complex.

Commenting on the recent revocation of provisional offers of housing allocation under the National Housing Programme (NHP), the ASCSN President appealed to the Minister to provide another opportunity for civil servants whose offers were revoked due to their inability to meet the payment deadline. 

He explained that many affected workers were constrained by the declining value of the new minimum wage of N70,000, which has been eroded by rising costs of goods and services.

Comrade Muhammad also raised other pressing concerns, including the payment of repatriation allowances for retiring officers, the provision of first 28-days allowances for newly recruited officers, and the prompt disbursement of death benefits to the families of deceased officers. 

He highlighted the challenges of inadeqate transportation buses for staff and emphasized the need for continuous training and retraining of staff to enhance their productivity and service delivery.

While appreciating the Ministry's annual financial contribution to the union's May Day celebration, Comrade Mohammed appealed for an increase in the amount allocated for celebration, citing the prevailing economic conditions and rising prices.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore reaffirmed the ministry's core mandate to ensure access to affordable housing, noting that significant efforts were being made to meet this goal, especially for civil servants, through various ongoing housing projects of the Ministry, across the country.

While addressing some of the concerns earlier raised by the Union, Dr Belgore explained the Ministry’s efforts to ensure that staff welfare, training and benefits are prioritized.

He informed that the Ministry was making efforts in the area of repatriation to clear backlog of the death benefits and first 28 days, despite the insufficiency of the overhead cost of the Ministry.

Accordingly, he assured that the Ministry was making plans to provide four brand new buses for staff of the Ministry, as part of efforts to support staff mobility.

He as well promised that further consideration would be made to what has been approved for the May Day celebration.