• Flags off 250 renewed housing estate in Osun

Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

OSOGBO – The Federal Government has warned contractors handling its renewed hope cities that it would not accept any poorly executed projects.

Speaking at the foundation laying of the 250 housing scheme at its renewed hope estate at Abere, Osun State on Tuesday, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa urged contractors handling the projects to build according to specifications given to them.

He said, “As we perform this groundbreaking, I want to charge the contractors to ensure that they build according to specifications. I want to emphasize in very strong terms that we will not tolerate substandard work from any developer, and we will explore all necessary legal means, to ensure that they deliver as per the contract. If you collect government money, you must do the work.

“We also want the developers to adhere to the timeline and finish within three months so that we can begin the process of getting Osun indigenes to purchase and move in.

“To ensure affordability, we have created different options to enable everyone who has a source of income and livelihood to own these homes when they are completed. These include single-digit mortgage loans that beneficiaries can repay over 30 years, rent-to-own schemes provided by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, and outright purchase options for those who can afford to pay upfront.

“Today’s ceremony is a continuation of the nationwide groundbreaking exercise for housing projects under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, launched in February with the commissioning of a 3,112-housing unit in Karsana, Abuja”.

Accorsing to the Minister, Under Phase One of this programme, we plan to deliver a total of 50,000 housing units across Nigeria. This includes 7 Renewed Hope Cities that will have between 500 and 1,000 housing units per site in each of the six geopolitical zones in the country and the FCT, while the Renewed Hope Estates will have 250 units per site in the remaining thirty (30) states.
He added that the housing programme is aimed at unlocking the massive potential of housing development to create jobs, uplift lives, and boost economic development.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Tijjani Gwarzo said the overall intention of the programme is to turn the country into a huge construction site, unlock the power of the housing sector to create jobs, boost economic development, and help achieve Mr. President’s goal to build a $1 trillion economy.

“This 250-housing units Estate project will create job opportunities during the construction phase for masons, bricklayers, plumbers, electricians, traders, and suppliers of building materials”, he added.

The Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Housing and Habitat, who is also representing Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal constituency, Hon Lanre Oladebo, Deputy charged the contractors on the importance of delivering the project within the three months scheduled and strictly in line with specifications, saying the lawmakers would visit the site to conduct oversight.

Governor Ademola Adeleke, who was represented by his deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi lauded the renewed hope housing initiative of the federal government, saying the state would always support projects to make live meaningful for its people.