WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE AG. PERMANENT SECRETARY, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WORKS AND HOUSING, REPRESENTED BY ENGR. VALENTINE NWAIMO, ZONAL DIRECTOR HOUSING NORTH CENTRAL AT THE COMMISSIONING OF THE NATIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMME IN NASARAWA STATE ON MONDAY, 7TH MARCH, 2022.
PROTOCOLS
1.    On behalf of the Honourable Minister Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, Directors and Head of Units, Federal Ministry of Works & Housing, I welcome all distinguished invited Guests, the Royal Fathers and the entire people of Nasarawa State to this event of the commissioning of the first phase of the National Housing Programme Initiative.
2.    As part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s developmental agenda of addressing Housing needs in Nigeria, the Federal Government inaugurated a pragmatic National Housing Programme (NHP) for the construction of acceptable and affordable houses nationwide. The first phase of the programme commenced in the 2016, in 34 States and FCT.
3.    The National Housing Programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Works and Housing, under the leadership of the Honourable Minister, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. It is a Programme borne out of the present Government's desire to provide affordable housing for its citizenry.
4.    Further to the above, the Ministry is promoting local content in line with the Executive Orders 3 and 5. The use of available local building materials in the National Housing Programme (NHP) has stimulated the

economy through the production and use of the materials. The overall economic value chain arising from the housing construction activities is mostly beneficial to the Nigerian youths.
5.    The Ministry has successfully constructed housing schemes under this Programme in 35 States, except for Lagos State where land has not been donated by the state government for the programme. The housing types currently available comprise of 1 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom and 3 Bedroom semi-detached bungalows and condominiums. The Philosophy behind the National Housing Programme is the provision of pilot scheme that is affordable, accessible and acceptable as contained in the National Housing Policy. The approach to the design and use of materials take cognizance of the cultural and climatic peculiarities of the regions while responding also to the tenets of the Building Energy and Efficiency Code (BEEC) being championed by the Ministry.
6.    For the benefit of Nigerian on this initiative, over 1,200 building contractors have been engaged under phases I, II and III of the programme since the inception in 2016 and over 14,500 and 50,140 direct and indirect jobs have been created. During this period, the Ministry is undertaking the construction of over 6,000 housing units in 45 sites, out of which 2,465 units have been completed in 35 States and FCT.
7.    At this juncture, I welcome you all once again to the commissioning of this laudable initiative in Nasarawa State.  
Thank you and God bless you.

SPEECH BY REPRESENTATIVE OF MR PRESIDENT, BARR. MOHAMMED ABDULLAHI, HONOURABLE MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, AT THE COMMISSIONING OF THE NATIONAL HOUSING PROJECTS IN NASARAWA STATE ON MONDAY 7^TH MARCH, 2022

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I am extremely proud to undertake the Commissioning of this Housing Estate in Nasarawa State, on behalf of the Federal Government.

This is one of the projects undertaken by our Government in Phases since 2016.

When our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), sought your mandate to form the Government in 2015, one of the things we promised was change.

This housing estate is an example of the fulfillment of that promise of change.

With the support of the Nasarawa State Government who provided the land, this place which was once unused land, amounting to no more than idle capital, has come alive and will now provide shelter for ordinary Nigerians.

This is a good example of some of the developmental possibilities that Inter-Governmental collaboration can produce and I am optimistic that with the provision of more land, the Federal Government certainly can do more.

Of course, the progressive ideals of our Government seeks to achieve one primary objective, which is to IMPROVE the human condition.

This housing estate has achieved that in many ways.

The Micro, Small and Medium size businesses who drive our economy were the ones who won the contracts to build these houses.  Not only did their successful bids offer an opportunity for these companies and their employees, through them we have unleashed a value chain of economic activities that improved the conditions of the ordinary Nigerians.

They engaged suppliers who benefit from sub-contracts for the supply of building materials from sand to cement, roofing and plumbing material to doors and electrical fitting.

In the process, the ordinary Nigerians at the bottom of the pyramid such as artisans, builders, skilled and unskilled workers and food vendors were not left out of this economic value chain.

These are some of the people our Country remains committed to move towards prosperity and away from poverty and we are already reaching them by providing opportunities for employment for those who were hitherto unemployed.

We certainly cannot meet every one of those Nigerians in person, but our economic policies and investment in infrastructure such as this National Housing Programme and others will reach and positively impact many of them.

Our desire and commitment towards improving the human condition and our message of change, have another facet beyond job creation.

It responds to those who have long aspired to own a home, and that dream has come true with this project.

But there is more to our message of change and improving the human condition in these housing projects.

They make possible, that which had seemed impossible.

In the states where the houses have been completed, we have issued maintenance contracts to small businesses to ensure that the estates are maintained and kept in good repair.

These are jobs that did not exist that we have created.

Of course we must not overlook the capital appreciation of the value of the adjoining land and the income benefit to the land owners from our investment in infrastructure.

Finally, I offer my appreciation to the Government and people of Nasarawa State for their cooperation towards the successful completion and the commissioning of a project that will help improve and promote the welfare of the people of this State.

It is therefore my honour and privilege to declare this Housing Estate completed and open for use, for the benefit of humanity.

President Muhammadu Buhari