By Jude Njoku

Messrs UACN Property Development Company, UPDC, the property development subsidiary of UAC Nigeria Plc, has unveiled plans to boost the Abuja real estate sector with the construction of a 226- unit Apo Dutse housing estate.

Managing Director of the company, Mr Hakeem Ogunniran who disclosed this while handing over an eight-storey edifice bought by the office of the Auditor-General of the Federation to the Auditor-General, explained that UPDC embarked on the projects in a bid to make a significant impact in the Abuja housing sector as it has done in Lagos.

Although Mr Ogunniran did not give further details about the proposed estate, he said UPDC is currently building another 44-unit estate in the Federal Capital territory , FCT.

“UPDC has also built and sold two residential estates in Abuja. The first – Hillview Estate is located in Gaduwa while the second – Salatu Royal Estate is a joint venture located within Wuse 2. We are also currently constructing a 44-unit housing estate in Apo and will soon start work on a 226-unit estate in Apo-Dutse,” he said.

The UPDC boss stated that as a leader in the real estate market, the company will provide convenient and comfortable housing for Nigerians. “We provide and manage excellent facilities in all our estates. It is our plan to make a significant mark on the Abuja landscape as we have done in Lagos and we can only achieve this with the cooperation of discerning customers as the office of the AGF,” he said.

The new Auditor-General’s office building christened “Abuja Phase 3” by UPDC, is the third phase in a commercial development embarked upon by the property development company. It comprising of three blocks of office accommodation all located within the CBD, Abuja.

The first phase which was completed in 1993, according to UPDC’s Marketing Manager, Mrs Titilayo Ajayi, presently houses UPDC’s Abuja office and other business outfits while Phase two, a six-storey office complex was sold to the Securities & Exchange Commission in 2005.

Phase three was completed in November 2010 was recently sold to the office of the Auditor General of the Federation. “The building is a modern office block of eight floors with a total floor area of 6,500 square metres and total land area of 3,189.204 square metres Each floor has an open plan flexibility to suit every business need and include 8 No. conveniences and 4 No. kitchenettes for the comfort of occupants,” Mrs Ajayi said..

Other facilities in the building include; three elevators, two 590KVA generators, electricity from the Power holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, boreholes and water treatment plant and over 100 parking lots.

“This property is another significant project that will take its place of pride within UPDC’s portfolio which includes several residential estates and commercial properties in Lagos, Abuja and Port-Harcourt,” she said Receiving the keys to the property, the Auditor -General, Mr Samuel Ukura commended President Goodluck Jonathan for granting the approval which enable his office to buy the property. He stated that although they made payments piecemeal, the Office has completed all payments to the developers.

He explained that with the procurement of the office complex, auditors who are currently referred to Resident Auditors in the various ministries and government agencies, would be withdrawn and housed in the complex in order to enhance administrative independence and monitoring towards promoting efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery.