On Thursday, while launching the 3,112 housing units in Renewed Hope City in Karsana, Abuja, the President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, said that all citizens deserve affordable and decent houses for accommodation.
The President said his administration has plans to redefine the essence of residential living for Nigerians nationwide, stressing that his vision is to build dynamic, integrated, and self-sustaining communities equipped with amenities to enhance the quality of life for residents.
“My administration believes that every Nigerian deserves to have access to shelter that is affordable and adequate.
“This includes well-connected access and internal roads, the provision of reliable and uninterrupted electricity, healthcare facilities to offer accessible and quality medical services, and educational institutions to provide learning environments that nurture knowledge and skills.
“Our goal is to increase the sense of togetherness, improve the health and productivity of our citizens, and reduce pressure on city centres. On this note, I am today directing the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the Minister of Works to provide access roads to all Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Projects to increase accessibility and livability, starting with this site in Karsan,” the President stated.
President Bola Tinubu [Photo Credit: Golden Page Library]
According to Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President in Media and Publicity, “the project is the art of the 20,000 housing units to be delivered in the Federal Capital Territory” under a public-private partnership arrangement being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
Adding to that, he noted that the project represented the first practical expression of the administration’s desire to implement a new city development plan under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Furthermore, Tinubu noted that the project was an avenue to boost the economy, which would provide jobs in the state:
“It is with this understanding that we have classified housing as essential social infrastructure and made it a major priority area towards delivering economic growth and job creation. At 25 direct and indirect jobs per house, the 20,000 housing units planned for the Federal Capital Territory alone will create 500,000 jobs.”
Speaking further, he said his administration “is determined to ensure that Nigeria’s houses shortage is bridged and has the means to resolve this challenge faced by Nigerians with the boldness and urgency that it requires.
“We aim to promote public-private partnership (PPP) collaborations that attract domestic, foreign, and diaspora investments. We also aim to design and implement incentive schemes to boost our capital market while enhancing the governance and risk management frameworks to ensure their stability, transparency, and integrity.
“We are resolved to face the housing challenge with the clarity of purpose and determination that is required to break all the barriers that stand in our way of success.
“That is why I took the historic decision of separating the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development from Works so it can be fully aligned towards tackling the nation’s massive housing problem. That is also why I have appointed experienced professionals with proven track records of delivering in the housing sector to lead the ministry.“
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President Tinubu also emphasized that he was committed to providing the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development with “the political will that is required to ensure that his administration makes a historic difference in the housing and urban development landscape of the country.
“I am happy to hear that the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has already awarded contracts for the construction of 200 housing units in twelve (12) states (2 per geo-political zone) as Renewed Hope Estates.
“In this regard, the Minister is to proceed with the groundbreaking ceremonies in the twelve (12) locations, and the estates must be completed before the end of 2024.
“I am also delighted to hear that the Renewed Hope Cities are being developed in three locations: Kano 1,500 housing units; Lagos 2,500 housing units; and Abuja 3,112 under a variety of funding arrangements. The Ministry’s plan to kickstart a national urban and slum upgrading programme covering 26 sites nationwide is also commendable.“
However, the Nigerian President opined that in the next couple of weeks he “will continue to launch a similar groundbreaking project to deliver 2,500 housing units in the Ibeju-Lekki coastal city of Lagos.
“This project will also provide a practical demonstration of cross-subsidisation, where out of the 1,500 housing units to be funded by FMBN, 400 will be sold at concessionary rates to low- and medium-income Nigerians who are members of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.”
