Speaker Abbas appoints Rep Jibrin Chairman of House Committee on Housing and Habitat

By Christiana Ekpa

The Speaker of the House of Representatives has reshuffled committees and appointed Hon Abdulmumin Jibrin as Chairman of the Committee on Housing and Habitat. Jibrin, with his vast experience in the legislature and executive arm, is expected to bring his expertise to bear on the committee’s oversight of the Federal Ministry of Housing and its agencies.
The committee’s jurisdiction includes federal housing programs, mortgage policies, and implementation of the Habitat Agenda. Jibrin’s appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen the committee’s role in promoting sustainable development and urban development strategies.
The new chairman, Hon Jibrin is expected to bring his sound academic background and wealth of experience in the legislature aww as former chairman finance, Appropriation, transport and foreign affairs as well as in the executive arm, serving as Executive Director of the Federal Housing Authority to the committee which oversight jurisdiction in line with the Standing Orders of the House covers
The Federal ministry of housing and departments and agencies of the federal government which deals with housing.
All federal housing programmes and Agencies, Federal Mortgage Bank, Federal Mortgage Finance, implementation of mortgage policies of government, Family Homes Fund FHF, issues on housing and Annual budget estimates of the ministry and agencies.
Harmonisation, coordination and streamlining of all housing policies of all levels of government to fit into the national housing scheme.
The Committees oversight and Jurisdiction also extends to:
Acting as catalyst directly related to habitat Agenda principles and commitment regarding sustainable development. In addition to specialized programmes of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlement: UNCUS (Habitant) Programmes.
Promoting the implementation of the resolution of regional Council for Africa of Global Parliamentarians on Habitat on institutionalizing Habitat Committees in parliaments of Member Countries to wit: State Assemblies and Local Governments.

Maintaining, on behalf of the House, close and symbiotic relations with the following organisations and all others engaged in the Habitat Agenda programme: Global forum of parliamentarians on Habitat (GFPH), Regional Council

for Africa of Global Parliamentarians on Habitat (RCAGPH), United Nations Centre for Human Settlements UNCHS (Habitat), Commonwealth Consultative group on Human Settlements and Commonwealth Secretariats on Habitat matters, Habitat for Humanity International and all other agencies and organizations which may wish to cooperate with the House in the areas outlined above.

Advising the House regarding networking regionally and internationally to strengthen dialogue and technical cooperation in the area of urban development strategies and

on Habitat Agenda and issues requiring legislation or

review of existing legislation to bring into conformity key principles and commitments of the Habitat Agenda.