The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has promised to reposition the ministry to function optimally in the delivery of housing to Nigerians.
Dangiwa who spoke when he received members of the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA) in his office in Abuja, said the ministry would function as the organ that can provide policy directions to the housing industry.
He declared: “Most of the housing policies are under review to ensure that they are in tandem with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in growing the economy and creating job opportunities for citizens.”
The minister also explained that reviewing these policies would create an enabling environment that could lead to economic growth, catalyst for job creation and lifting Nigerians out of poverty.
On building collapse, he assured them that the collective inputs of the professionals in the built environment and State Commissioners and ministry will curtail the menace.
Earlier, NIA President, Enyi Ben-Eboh, listed areas impeding the practice of architecture, urging the minister to regulate influx of substandard building materials by working with Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to create a unit that will solely deal on imported building materials.
Ben-Eboh also urged the minister to ensure that architects are involved in the National Development Plan (2021-2025) to help the Federal Government achieve the mandate of providing 500, 000 – one million houses yearly.
MEANWHILE, Shelter Afrique has raised $100 million during the issuance of the local currency bond for Nigeria housing operations, as part of a medium-term loan to the tune of $250 million.
The Board Chairperson, Dr. Chii Akporji, conveyed the news to Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa at his office in Abuja, where she announced that the minister will chair the yearly general meeting, scheduled next month in Algiers.
She also solicited the minister’s intervention to ensure Nigeria offsets its outstanding capital subscription of $21 million. “Even though it was approved during the previous administration, the funds were not released before the tenure ended,” she said.
Responding, Dangiwa pledged to ensure continued collaboration between Nigeria, commending them for the restructuring being undertaken to transform it from its current state into the Shelter Afrique Development Bank.
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Source: Guardianng
