NHP: States can apply for residents, indigenes, says Fashola

… Reveals over 5,000 C of O’s issued since 2017

By Editor

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has said that states can now apply for federal houses on behalf of their indigenes and persons residing in their respective states.

Fashola noted the Federal Government had in line with the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration’s commitment to the Nigerian housing sector, issued over 5,000 C of O’s issued and 2,738 Consent to land transactions since 2017.

The minister stated this at the 11th National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development meeting which ended in Sokoto.

This Special Adviser, Communications, to the Minister, Mr. Hakeem Bello, in a statement issued Monday in Abuja, quoted the minister as charging States to expedite action on land reforms; think and act on how to make payment of rent easier for both tenants and landlords

He said a Communiqué issued by the Council equally approved the recapitalization of Federal Mortgage Bank to meet world standards, among other recommendations

The minister spoke at the Executive Session of the Meeting with the theme “Housing our People By All of Government and All Our People”, which held in Sokoto, the Sokoto State capital, from Monday, July 25 to Friday, July 29, 2022.

Fashola said, “Let me use this platform to inform the meeting that State Governments can apply on behalf of their residents or indigenes to fund the acquisition of parts of the National Housing Programmes constructed in the states should they be so desirous.”

He informed the gathering which had in attendance the host State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, State Commissioners in charge of Housing and land matters, law makers, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Bashir Nura Alkali, senior Ministry officials and representatives of various stakeholders in the Housing Sector.

Fashola who expressed delight that the National Housing Programme that was initiated by the Ministry under the Muhammadu Buhari administration is now delivering on its objectives.

The Minister explained that apart from stimulating the economies of the 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory in the communities where work is being undertaken, the construction sites have become and remain centres of supply for building materials and other commodities.

The Minister, however, pointed out that whatever the Federal and State Governments could do by way of housing construction was limited compared to what the private sector could do adding that the evidence out there showed very clearly that the bulk of housing in the society and across the world was delivered by the private sector consisting of individuals and corporate bodies.

Fashola also said it was heart warming that there was now “a visible increase in the participation of the private sector in Nigeria’s housing sector.”

The Minister said even with this realization, there was need for consciousness that not everybody wants a house built by government adding that there are those who would wish to build their houses themselves and only seek access to land.

He dismissed the argument in some quarters that the Land Use Act is the problem of access to land, Fashola noted that if there were such problem, it would be with the administration of the law adding, “How much have we automated our land administration processes in order to make them efficient before complaining about that law?

“States that have made this type of investment will report an improvement in their land administration system.

“Today, I can tell you that since 2017, when the President delegated his power under the Land Use Act to grant Consent and issue Certificate of Occupancy to the Ministry we have issued over 5,000 Certificates of Occupancy and granted 2,738 Consent to land transactions.”