The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has constituted a housing reform team of experts and stakeholders to develop a robust framework of the housing sector and ensure that housing agencies under the supervision of the Ministry are enhanced to provide affordable homes for Nigerians.
The reform team will be made up of representatives from HDAN, agencies, professional bodies, as well as academia. They will be tasked with streamlining all previous reform blueprints, and white papers for the agencies and outlining areas requiring reform, with a focus on enhancing efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
The ministry is also working with the National Population Commission to design survey instruments that would address housing-related questions during the upcoming population and housing census exercise.
READ ALSO: Govt to complete abandoned last regime National Housing Program – Dangiwa
In addition, the ministry has set a target to deliver 34,500 units of multi-level flats to cater to low-medium income earners, terrace and detached bungalows and duplexes for the high-income earners under Phase 1 of the Renewed Hope Cities, in each of the six geopolitical zones of the country and FCT.
500 housing units of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom affordable bungalows per site in each of the remaining thirty States, under the Renewed Hope Estates are also underway.
Sponsors will include the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s budgetary allocation, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, and through Public Private Partnerships with reputable developers. Ownership options include mortgage loans, rent-to-own, and outright purchase.
READ ALSO: We will Apply the use of Data and Scientific Methods to Drive Housing Development – Dangiwa
The Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has called on the minister to wade into issues surrounding the pricing of land Certificate of Occupancy and set up a committee that would look into the outstanding housing bills at the National Assembly.
The establishment of the housing reform team and the other initiatives taken by the ministry are a positive step towards improving the housing sector in Nigeria. The ministry’s target of delivering 34,500 units of multi-level flats and 500 housing units of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom affordable bungalows is also ambitious and achievable.
Source: Punch Newspaper
