Abuja, Jan. 16, 2024 – Ahmed Dangiwa, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, has inaugurated task teams to realise the objectives of housing sector reform of the federal government.
The housing sector reforms include Housing Institutions reform, the Multi-Agency Project Delivery reform, Land reforms, and the Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs.
Dangiwa, while inaugurating the task teams in Abuja on Tuesday, said a comprehensive reforms in the housing sector was needed to address systemic and prevailing issues that had contributed to underdevelopment.
“First is the Housing Institutions Reform Task Team. The task of this Team is to develop a robust framework for ensuring that housing agencies under the supervision of the Ministry are optimized to deliver effectively on the Renewed Hope Vision for the provision of quality, decent and affordable homes to Nigerians.
“This includes a thorough review and facilitation of necessary legislative amendments of relevant housing industry laws including the National Housing Fund (NHF) Act,1992, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) Establishment Act, 1993, Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Act,1973, and PenCom Act (to allow for increased investment in housing). The Team will also map out strategies for driving the nationwide adoption and passage of the model mortgage foreclosure law in States.
“Second is the Multi-Agency Project Delivery Task Team. The aim is to ensure that all housing agencies under the supervision of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development work collaboratively towards optimizing their strengths to deliver decent and affordable housing to Nigerians. Part of its Terms of Reference includes developing a comprehensive strategy and roadmap for the construction of at least 50,000 new houses per year for a start through multiple funding sources.
“Third is the Land Reforms Task Team. This Team is tasked with developing a blueprint that will aid the sustainable implementation of much-needed reforms necessary for streamlining land administration and ensuring easy, cost-effective, and efficient access to land in Nigeria.
“Fourth is the Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs Task Team. The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is setting up the Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs Task Team in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda to boost building materials manufacturing in the country towards ensuring economic growth, creating jobs, reducing dependency on imports, and lowering the cost of construction materials and housing delivery.
“Primarily, their job is to conduct a thorough assessment of the current state of the building materials manufacturing sector in Nigeria, including existing facilities, capacities, and key players. They are to also identify challenges and opportunities within the sector.
“The result will be a blueprint that will ensure sustainable implementation of reforms for the sector and the establishment of building materials manufacturing hubs in each of the six (6) geo-political zones across the country. This may include feasibility studies on the most viable locations for the hubs within each zone for siting of housing projects.
“The Task Teams have been carefully constituted to include all relevant stakeholders, such as agencies of government, professional and regulatory bodies, the academia, industry experts, traditional rulers, and other groups. The goal is to tap from the wealth of knowledge and experience of these relevant sectors and individuals, and come up with strategies that are inclusive, wholesome, and can stand the test of time.” (GBN)
