By Esther Alexander
Many administrations have come and gone with promises, upon assuming office to secure the city of Abuja and improve infrastructure in the entire territory, especially in the area of Housing.
However, road mishaps escalated and crime rates have continued to soar as a result of defective traffic and street lights that became prevalent.
Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) Ambassador, Fonahanmi Idris, in an exclusive interview with Africahousingnews, said the qualities that the new FCT minister must possess are networking and productivity.
Adding that this present administration is all product of the National Assembly and whoever would be the FCT minister must be able to liaise and network pending plans and programs that will aid and support the development of FCT, especially the housing sector.
“In the past, there are fantastic ideas during the time of Jeremiah Husseini, Abbah Ghana, and down to the time of El-Rufai. You find out that they opened up space for the private sector to thrive using different agencies.”
We’d be expecting a minister that has hands-on experience and the capacity to deliver on this mandate and grow the housing sector.
According to the HDAN Ambassador, the incoming minister of works and housing has a bigger task, because he will be expected to coordinate and liaise with all state governments.
“The best way to tackle the housing issue is not only looking at Abuja, but he must also be able to work with all state government to deliver on the mandate of housing.”
“There are pending issues and policies at the desk of the National Assembly, so any housing minister coming on board must be able to ride on that crest and make a positive change because housing has a multiplier effect on everything including security.”
He also recommended that the housing and works ministry should be separated, saying they are both germane portfolios.
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