By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Federal Housing Authority, (FHA)Senator Gbenga Ashafa said that the authority needs approximately sum of N500 billion Naira to intervene in the building more affordable housing to Nigerians in the six geopolitical zones .
Ashafa who made the disclosure at the weekend during a press conference to mark the forthcoming FHA ‘s 50th anniversary .
Ashafa noted that in this 50years , FHA has contributed immensely in bridging the gap of housing deficit by offering houses to citizens .
He noted that , the aurhority has tried to live up to its mandate of providing affordable housing to citizens especially when it was under government budgetary allocation and is still able to do more of it is provided with the funds.
“So far, before the issue that mandated us to be fully privatise and then full commercialisation and now as partial commercialisation model.
He said FHA has contributed over 149,000 housing units nationwide in its 50 years of existence adding to national housing stock.
When it was a civil service entity with funds from the government, we were able to do so much and that was how we kick started the Diamond Estate Projects, Festac Town, Abesan One, Four, Five and Six.
“We moved to Ogun State and we have built so many estates. Here in Abuja, we have a lot of projects especially when a lot of civil servants were moving to the capital.
“A lot of funds were available and we were able to build 49,000 units of houses in direct construction house es by FHA. Also, over 100,000 units have been built when you look at partnerships with private developers all around the capital city and other states.
“In total, we would be looking at over 149,000 units of housing built in 50 years and we are prepared to do more with the renewed hope model that is coming in.”
Ashafa said they have also commenced the construction of 340 units of houses in the first phase of their Bwari Estate in Abuja, adding that they are going to replicate its Rent to Own Delivery Model that were used on previous estates.
While stressing that at inception of the Authority in 1973, it had operated smoothly and was able to provide affordable housing to Nigerians until successive government policies impacted negatively on its operational efficiency.
He explained that some of the interventions includes FHA estate projects geared towards meeting the housing needs of high, middle and low-income earners, in such areas as Zuba,, Mboro, Bwari, Kabusa, Maitama 2, all in the Federal Capital Territory, while the same plans are on top gear in the six geographical zones in the country.
” We have commenced the construction of 340 units of houses in the first phase of our Bwari estate, near the Nigerian Law School, Bwari, Abuja, where we intend to replicate our Rent to Own Delivery model we startef from Zuba estate.
” In commemoration of this Golden Jubilee cerebrating, we have commenced with the construction of Golden Jubilee Estate in Mbora District of Abuja. This estate would be replicated in all the zones of the country, with that of Lagos being the next on the line, ” he said.
MoreSo, Senator Gbenga Ashafa also disclosed the agency has secured all FHA’s lands and assets.
He said they have also almost secured all the authorities estates that have been encroached upon by Nigerians.
He said in places like Festac in Lagos, Lugbe in Abuja and other parts of the country, people are building illegally in FHA estates, including building on waterways and road.
He said: “We have also secured our land and other assets, especially reclaiming all our encroached estates.
“Immediately we came in 2020, there was an uproar when there was a joint task force of the Lagos and federal government. We moved into the areas of Festac that had been seriously encroached upon”, he said.
He said the Houses were built without approved building plans, houses were built on the right of way of drainages, houses were built on the right of way of construction of roads. “And there were hills and cries by those who were doing these illegal things. However, the strength of the law took its cause. We had to now sit down because they’re Nigerians, some of them claimed ignorance, some said them bought from the traditional rulers in those areas. “
“The first basic thing that you do when you are buying any land is to go and search for the status of that land.
“So we went in there, we were able to recover some, we now gave them the opportunity of regularisation, few came for the regularisation, those that were not on drainages, if you look at some of those houses, they were already sinking and you can see the number of houses that are collapsing on a daily basis”, Ashafa stated .
