… commends Gov Eno for land donation
…‘My Governor has made me proud, says Nya-Etok
Mfonobong Ukpong
Thursday (O2.05:24)
The Managing Director of, the Federal Housing Authority, Mr Oladimejo Ojo, has stated the readiness of the federal government through the Federal Housing Authority, FHA, to partner the Akwa Ibom State government in the delivery of affordable housing to the people of Akwa Ibom.
Already, the Federal Housing Authority has taken delivery of a massive portion of land situated along the airport road donated by Governor Umo Eno to the FHA for its housing estate construction.
The handing over ceremony was performed earlier today, with the C of O, title deeds and other necessary documents handed to the MD of the Federal Housing Authority and his team by the Akwa Ibom State Governor. This development according to the MD of the FHA, Mr. Olamideji Ojo and the Executive Director in charge of Housing in the FHA, Arch. Ezekiel Nya-Etok is in a further demonstration of the commitment of the Akwa Ibom State government to partner with the RENEWED HOPE INITIATE of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government which according to them is in sync with the ARISE AGENDA of the Umo Eno led administration in ensuring that Akwa Ibomites and indeed, Nigerians have access to affordable housing.
Addressing newsmen at the premises of the FGN/NOVONE Social Housing Estate located at Ikot Ntuen Nsit opposite the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, shortly after a facility tour of the housing estate, the boss of the Federal Housing Authority, Mr. Ojo who commended the promoter of the Housing Estate, Arch. Nya-Etok for his steadfastness in encouraging social housing delivery in the country, said he was satisfied with the serenity and quality of infrastructure on the ground at the estate.
He praised Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno for practically demonstrating his commitment towards partnering with the Federal Housing Authority and indeed the Federal government in providing affordable housing to Akwa Ibom people.
In his words; “The public should expect affordable housing to be delivered hopefully before 2026. We will work in synergy with State Governors to ensure the houses are delivered to the people”.
“Once you involve the State Governors who know the people he governs and understand their needs and peculiarities, our job would be easy. What we are doing at the Federal Housing Authority is to develop a cacas model, where we build the houses to a certain level and allow the person who takes possession of the property to complete and furnish to his taste”.
“I believe it doesn’t make sense forcing a house furnished with a POP of N500k on someone (with low income or a middle or low-class citizen) who may not be able to afford the high cost of renting or buying such a property. We should not force a pop of N500k on you.
“We do cacass, let the person go and furnish, finish whatever he wants to finish”.
“We are planning about studios. You don’t force 3 bedrooms on someone who just graduated from school and got a job. We will build different categories of housing including what you may call ‘Studio’ which is safe for a graduate, like we have in the UK and other developed cities in the world”
“We have the studio, we have the one bed, two bedroom, three bedroom depending on your capacity. We are going to have a win-win situation”.
A studio house is a single-room house where your bedroom, living space, and kitchen are all in one area with an open floor plan that means no separating walls like a traditional home. The bathroom is the only area guaranteed to be separated by a door, but even the kitchen may not
Reacting to a question on what the Authority intends to do with several abandoned federal housing Projects littered across the 36 States of the federation, most of which have been taken over by squatters, Mr. Ojo responded that “there is nothing called abandoned property. Continuing he explained; “There is no abandoned building. We have squatters. People who move into buildings whether completed or not that have not been inhabited. In the UK we have such people. They move in because the owners had “abandoned or failed to inhabit the property”. Even in the UK if the owner now wants to take possession of the property he would have to approach the court to evict the occupant. They are called Squatters, not hoodlums or miscreants as they call them here in Nigeria”.
“Let me assure you, there are no abandoned properties in Federal Housing Authority. In Nigeria, what we have are squarters taking possession of inhabited buildings”.
Also speaking, the Executive Director in charge of Housing at the Federal Housing Authority, Arch. Ezekiel Nya-Etok appreciated Governor Umo Eno for the warm reception accorded the FHA team earlier at Government House during a courtesy visit, and for the donation of land to the Authority for the federal housing estate Project, saying the Governor has made him proud.
“I want to put on record that My Governor has made me proud. You can see my ARISE AGENDA tag on me, meaning that I have accepted and adopted the ARISE AGENDA”.
“ We came to see the government
If nothing else, one of the greatest things you take is the level of leadership, love and oneness in the team. Before we came here he had already gotten land, surveyed it, prepared the title and handed it over to the MD. The land is located along the airport road. That’s a very strategic and good location”.
The Federal Housing Authority boss was accompanied by other members of the board and management team including, Executive Directors, General Managers, Deputy GMs and other top management staff of the Authority.
The problems with housing delivery in Nigeria have always been the lack of affordable housing finance, high costs of urban land and weak tenure security, rising construction costs, and the prevalence of slums as major challenges to efforts to alleviate the country’s housing crisis.
It is hoped that the synergy between the Akwa Ibom State government and the Federal government through the Federal Housing Authority would yield the desired result. As you all know, food, water, air, and shelter are among the basic necessities of life, and we must have them to survive. If any one of these basic needs is not met, then humans cannot survive.
This is Mfonobong Ukpong reporting
