The Federal Government has commenced moves to review the implementation of all Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects in the housing sector.

Erstwhile Supervising Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Muhammad Sada, who disclosed this in Abuja, said that the ministry has set up a task force for this purpose. He said the task force is to develop appropriate guidelines and eligibility criteria for the participation of qualified parties in the design and implementation of PPP projects in the ministry.

The minister further disclosed that the move was aimed at further strengthening the PPP arrangement in the ministry for effective contributions to sustainable housing delivery in the country. He said the ministry was determined to actualise the long term development agenda in the housing and urban development, adding that it will continue to collaborate with the private sector to accomplish the task. “The ministry will also continue to collaborate with governments at the state and local levels to actualise President Goodluck Jonathan’s aspirations for the housing sector,” he said.

Sada said the housing ministry has reached an agreement with Home Builders Institute in the U.S. to train 1,000 artisans and craftsmen within the year to enhance their competence. He said the training will focus on building structures, building services and finishing. He said the ministry has also entered into an agreement with the Ministry of National Development in Singapore to build Nigeria’s institutional capacity in the housing sector.

According to him, participants would be drawn from block and brick layers, plumbers, painters, carpenters, aluminum fabricators and welders, adding that the training would also include landscaping and solar energy facilities maintenance. “This is to enable us to competently address the developmental challenges of sustainable land administration, management, affordable housing and urban development on a long term basis.