The Senate Committee on Housing and Urban Development, has commended the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s effort in the delivery of the renewed hope housing projects.
The Chairman of the committee, Aminu Tambuwal, gave the commendation during an oversight visit to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday in Abuja.
Tambuwal said the oversight was necessary to know the progress of projects and ensure that monies appropriated were spent in accordance with extant laws and regulations since the year had gone halfway.
“Democracy is all about, checks and balances to ensure that the right thing is done by the agencies among other things.
“As we appropriate, we also go around and see whether the money is released and if released, are being applied judiciously.
“We are ready to support the programme of the Federal Government in providing affordable housing for Nigerians under the renewed hope housing agenda.
“We believe that more money should be given to the Ministry of Housing because this is one great sector that will generally distribute wealth to the lowest of the low.”
Tambuwal said that the committee was worried over the incessant building collapse in the country and called for regulatory action.
“The issue of building collapse is becoming a very big issue in Nigeria and it largely has to do with the way most of these projects have been implemented by using substandard materials and not following the designs.
“I think the regulatory authorities should step up and ensure to reverse this ugly trend.’’
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa , said the ministry was working towards the actualisation of the renewed hope housing agenda of the president.
Dangiwa said that the ground breaking for the Renewed Hope Cities,had been done in 13 sites funded by the 2023 Supplementary Budget.
“We have one city in Kano and then the other two in each of the political zones of the country. They are happy with the spread of the estate, that it covers the entire nation.
“They are also happy that the project cuts across all political parties. So no one will talk of favoritism to the ruling party or any other party.’’
Dangiwa said that the ministry was also working on
slum upgrade and urban renewal in over 28 sites across the country.
He said the committee was happy with the progress of the project so far and advocated for more funding for the ministry to the tune of 500 billion Naira.
“If you give the Federal Ministry of Housing 500 billion Naira, give them two years, they will return nothing less than 300 billion naira back to the coffers of the government by selling these houses, even with little subsidy to the nation.’’
Dangiwa said that the ministry has put measures in place to avert building collapse while delivering affordable housing to Nigerians.
This, he said was by ensuring proper design by qualified consultants, proper planning approval by the professionals in the planning authorities and that substandard building materials were not used.
“We have to ensure that the contractors executing the projects are qualified contractors, not political contractors who don’t have to go through the specifications before they implement it.
“So these are some of the measures that we have put in place to ensure that we curb building collapse and we are ensuring that all the planning authorities charged with supervision of construction sites, monitor them.”
