By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The federal government has reiterated that it will not tolerate abandoned housing projects from some contractors across the country.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development,Ahmed Dangiwa, made the disclosure yesterday during an inspection visit of three construction sites within federal capital territory( FCT), saying that unserious developers and contractors would be edged out for new one to come in.
“As of the moment, what we are telling most of the contractors is that we will no longer tolerate any abandoned projects, we intend to recoup the investment done by the government earlier on.
“So all construction sites that have been abandoned, we are inviting all the developers to come and sit down with us and know the reason why they abandoned it,’’ Dangiwa said.
He said developers or contractors who did not have the managerial or financial capacity would be edged out while the serious ones would be brought in for construction to take off.
The minister while inspecting the project he said: “We are here in Brains and Hammers Estate, funded by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria; I think it’s one of the biggest estates (1,250 units) they have ever funded.
“The impression now is that the houses are almost fully completed and off-takers have been gotten, that is the most important thing and the houses look affordable to Nigerians since it has been taken by Nigerians.’’
The Ministry revealed that plans are on the way for the construction of 10,000 housing units in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Dangiwa spoke when he inspected the 1,250 Brains and Hammers Estate in Jibi, funded by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), and a condominium of 24 units of flats, comprising 1, 2 and 3-bedroom flats under the National Housing Programme Project in Karsana community, also in the FCT.
The minister also disclosed the FG’s intention to build houses for all Nigerians irrespective of their status, saying that the ministry would soon commence groundbreaking for the renewed cities project.
