By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development says it will soon introduce a monitoring and review mechanism that will ensure effective implementation of resolutions taken during the annual meetings of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development.
According to Salisu Badamasi Haiba, Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry in a release to newsmen in Gombe, the theme for the 13th (2024) meeting is “Housing the Future: Affordable Housing for Economic Growth, Climate Resilience and Urban Development”.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi made this disclosure on Wednesday during the meeting of the body of Permanent Secretaries at the ongoing 13th meeting of the Council holding in Gombe state.
Ogunbiyi explained, that the Ministry is setting up measures to ensure comprehensive compliance with Council resolutions by all stakeholders in the housing sector, in order to advance the nation’s housing agenda.
He said, “Concerned with the non-implementation of Council resolutions over the years, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development sponsored a memo this year to seek the approval of Council for the mid-term monitoring of the implementation of Council resolutions.
“I am happy to inform you that the Technical Session held yesterday accepted the prayers and this will be presented to the body of Permanent Secretaries today”, he pointed out.
He reminded the Permanent Secretaries that the meeting serves as a powerful reminder on collective responsibility to advance the development of the Housing and Urban Development sector in Nigeria.
Outlining some challenges facing the housing sector, Ogunbiyi listed, shortages of affordable housing, rapid urbanization, and poor access to land.
He then highlighted the initiatives of the Ministry to tackle the challenges to include; Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Housing Programme, which he noted has seen significant progress in housing development across all geo-political zones of the country.
According to him, In addition, the initiative of the Ministry to establish the National Housing Data Center is aimed at creating a comprehensive housing data framework to support housing policy and planning.
He explained that the Steering Committee on the Housing Data which he chaired was charged with the responsibility of providing direction and oversight for the collection of National Housing Data from Public and Private Institutions and creating access to housing data in Nigeria for him Policy, Planning and decision-making.
“This Committee has already mandated its Technical Working Group (TWG) to come up with the Governance and Data Gathering Frameworks and modalities for setting up the National Housing Data Center (NHDC). This Programme is among some of the key initiatives of the Ministry geared towards the achievement of our mandate”, he emphasized.
He also stressed the need for stronger public-private partnerships, innovation, and community engagement to meet the urgent demands for affordable and sustainable housing.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is the Chairman of the body of Permanent Secretaries in the Council, and it’s resolutions will be presented to the ministerial body of states commissioners for deliberations and adoption.
