Minister and Directors Meet in Preparation for Budget Defence with the Joint Committees of National Assembly

The Directors of the Federal Ministry of Works have risen from their in-house budget defence with the Honourable Minister in preparation for budget defence with the Joint Committees of National Assembly slated for 11th December 2023.

The Honorable Minister thanked the Acting Permanent Secretary and all the Heads of Departments who handled the Ministry's budget for their commitment to the appraisal of the 2023 budget and the preparation of the 2024 budget proposal.

The Minister noted that the road sector needed a different kind of attention beyond the 2024 budget envelope received by the Ministry.  For a developing nation like Nigeria, road sector development is a catalyst for economic development.  The road sector has the potential to improve the security sector, agricultural sector, trade and investment, health, education, and, in fact, every aspect of the development of every nation.

The Minister thanked very highly the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for the attention given to the Ministry and his approval of concrete pavement  in most of the 2024 projects. He stated that the Ministry is committed to the development of road infrastructure in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of Mr. President. The Minister noted the huge debts arising from unpaid certificates inherited from the past administration, which runs up to N1.5 trillion up till date and the expected contract reviews arising from inflation.

These two factors are recognized in the Ministry as issues that must be confronted in order to move forward.

The Minister has, therefore, set up six committees of one committee per geopolitical zone to review all debts of unpaid certified certificates generated before May 29th, 2023, and from May 29th 2023 to date. The committees will also review the approved and unapproved variation of prices and all augmentations that were approved or are yet to be approved and make recommendations to the Ministry's management. The Ministry has exposed these debts and all reviews in the Ministry to Mr. President’s economic team and also to the Federal Executive Committee on road sector funding. It is believed that the internal works through these constituted committees will help them to use external Consultants to reverify the works so that concrete decisions will be made to move the Ministry forward.

Contractors who are being owed are requested to approach these committees with all documents to back up their claims from Tuesday 12th 2023 to Friday, 22nd of December 2023 from 9 am to 7 pm at the Honourable Minister’s Conference Room, 1st floor, Federal Ministry of Works,  Headquarters, Mabushi Abuja.

The Minister again thanked Mr. President very highly as well as National Assembly and pledged their commitment in using judiciously whatever fund allocated to the Ministry and such funds must impact on the road infrastructure  improvement.

The entire Directors of the Ministry pledged for a renewed vigor in the supervision of the projects, and the results are already evident.

GOODWILL MESSAGE BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, ARC. AHMED MUSA DANGIWA, AT THE AFRICA HOUSING AWARDS AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER, ABUJA 17TH DECEMBER 2023

1.    Protocols
2.    First, I would like to thank the organizers of the Africa Housing Awards for inviting me to deliver a goodwill message at the 5th edition of this annual event.
3.    I sincerely believe that the task of developing Africa’s housing sector, ensuring increased access to decent and affordable housing is a collective endeavor. It is a patriotic job that requires the contribution, active participation, and monitoring of all stakeholders and stakeholders across the entire housing value chain. From developers, mortgage bankers, development finance institutions, government owned housing institutions, housing policy leaders, advocacy institutions and groups and so many others. We are all part of the housing eco-system and all that we do in our various spaces and areas of responsibilities impact positively or negatively our collective desire to build a better and functional housing system that works for Africans.  
4.    This is why I want to take a special moment to commend those who conceived, birthed, and have sustained the Africa Housing Awards. I am particularly impressed at the continental theme of the Awards: Africa – Not Nigeria Africa Awards.
5.    This yearly practice of recognizing and honoring housing industry personalities, leaders in both private and public sectors who have demonstrated uncommon commitment in the discharge of their duties is a vital to promoting the spirit of excellence in the industry.
6.     As the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, I would like to encourage all stakeholders in housing delivery in all countries in Africa and Nigeria to never loose sight of the responsibility that goes with each office that we hold. Whether in the private sector or the public sector – we must be constantly reminded that our job is to house Africa. And there are millions in need of housing, and they cut across all income segments. We must at all times never lose sight of the fact that the decisions that we take, the energy that we commit or don’t commit have practical results.
7.    So, to all the institutions, individuals that are going to take home awards today, I want to congratulate you for being outstanding in the discharge.
8.    Their recognition and honor should stir all of us to work harder towards ensuring that we fix the housing shortfall in Africa as we unlock the catalytic power of the housing sector to ignite national development.
9.    At the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development we have outlined a bold Action Plan to Actualize the Renewed Hope Vision for Housing and Urban Development in Nigeria.
10.    As part of our plans to ensure that housing agencies under the supervision of the Ministry are optimized to deliver on our target of providing affordable homes to Nigerians, we have composed a Housing Reform Team of experts, stakeholders, agency representatives, professional bodies, and academia to develop a robust framework for reform of the housing sector including thorough review of relevant laws and facilitation of necessary legislative amendments. This includes the Land Use Act, 1978, National Housing Fund (NHF) Act,1992, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) Establishment Act, 1993, Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Act,1973, PenCom Act to allow for increased investment in housing.
11.    We are also working to implement the much-needed reforms that will ensure quick, easy, and efficient access to land. We have composed a land reforms team comprising state governments, traditional rulers, relevant agencies, professional bodies, academia, stakeholders to ensure buy-in and inclusivity.
12.    In line with the Renewed Hope plan to ensure that all Nigerians including the NO INCOME, vulnerable and underprivileged groups have access to decent and dignified accommodation, we are also creating the framework for the establishment of a National Social Housing Fund (NSHF). This is because we believe that access to decent shelter is a not only a necessity but a human right and that all Nigerians across all income segments deserve a decent home to live and grow.
13.    We have also prioritized building materials manufacturing in the country. This will ensure economic growth, create jobs, and reduce dependency on imports. To ensure success, we have composed a Building Materials Manufacturing Task Team comprising of experts and representatives from relevant government agencies, academia, professional bodies, and industry associations. They will conduct a thorough assessment of the current state of the building materials manufacturing sector and produce a strategic plan for reforming the sector for implementation. Our plan is to build six (6) building materials manufacturing hubs, one in each of the six (6) regions of the country.
14.    To increase the stock of housing supply, we have also composed and will inaugurate a Multi-Agency Project Delivery Team. The Team will ensure that all housing agencies including FHA work together towards optimizing their strengths to increase the stock of quality houses to Nigerians. The Team comprises highly qualified and experienced professionals with expertise in housing development, urban planning, infrastructure, finance, and project management.
15.    Under our New City Development Plan, the Ministry plans to lead partnerships with the private sector, local and international investors, towards redefining the concept of cities in Nigeria and decongesting city centers and state capitals in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.
16.    The first phase of the New City Development Plan aims to deliver Renewed Hope Cities ranging from 1,000 housing units per site in one location in each of the six geo-political zones of the country and FCT namely: Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Borno, Nasarawa, Rivers, and Enugu States, while the remaining thirty (30) States will have Renewed Hope Estates each with a minimum of 500 housing units.
17.    The Renewed Hope Cities will have inclusivity at their core: They will include Multi-Level Flats to cater to low-medium income earners; Terrace and Detached Bungalows and Duplexes for the high-income earners. The Renewed Hope Estates will have 1,2- and 3-bedroom affordable bungalows.
18.    Overall, we aim to deliver under this phase 1, a total of 40,000 homes from a mix of sponsors comprising the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s budgetary allocation, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), and through Public Private Partnerships with reputable developers in the delivery of the new cities.
19.    Ownership Options include Mortgage Loans, Rent-to-Own and Outright Purchase. At 25 jobs per unit, the first phase of the project will create direct and indirect 1,000,000 jobs helping to achieve the target to lift 1million Nigerians out of poverty.
20.    Under Phase 1 of the Slum Upgrading Programme, the Ministry plans a total of 26 sites nationwide. This includes four (4) sites in each of the six regions of the country totaling twenty-four (24) and two (2) in the FCT. The key services to be provided at the identified sites will include water supply, solar streetlights, rehabilitation of access roads, construction of drainages and waste management and sanitation services amongst others.
21.    These are some of our key focus areas at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. We are fully aware of the challenges ahead of us and are passionate about making a difference. However, we know that we are only one part of the housing value chain and as such know that for us to achieve, we would need the support of all stakeholders.
22.    So, once again I want to thank the organizers of this 5th edition of the Africa Housing Awards, and I congratulate all the winners while encouraging us all to continue to work harder towards ensuring that we provide increased access to decent and affordable housing to all Africans.
23.    Thank you all.