The federal government has initiated moves to review the country’s housing policies by constituting a committee to draft national housing and urban development policies, with Mr. S.P.O. Fortune Ebie as chairman and Arch. E.A. Nya-Etok as vice chairman.

Minister of Housing, Lands and Urban Development, Mrs. Ama Pepple, who inaugurated the committee in Abuja, declared that it has two weeks to submit its report to enable her present the document to the Federal Executive Council, (FEC) for prompt approval.

She said that the setting up of the committee re-examine two critical policy documents prepared several years ago but which are yet to be adopted as official blue prints for coordinated intervention in the housing and urban development sectors.

Pepple noted that the aim of the review is to review the contents of the documents in light of current emerging national and global issues, with a view to updating them. She charged the committee members to be meticulous in the discharge of their duties in order to avoid the pitfalls identified in the previous exercise.

“The purpose of this review therefore, is to consider the contents of these documents, in the light of current and emerging national and global issues, with a view to updating them.

“The policies, on adoption by government, will provide an appropriate framework for the regulation and management of housing and urban development in order to achieve Mr. President’s Transformation Agenda for the sector and ultimately unleash the housing revolution, as envisaged in the Vision 20:2020.

The specific terms of reference of the committee is to review and update the draft national housing and urban development policies in line with the priorities outlined in both the transformation agenda of the present administration and the national Vision 20:2020 for the sector; and to engage with all relevant stakeholders and partners in order to feed their respective inputs into the draft and thereafter present it for consideration, updated policies reflecting the shared views of all relevant partners for the revitalization of the housing and urban development sector,” she stated.

According to the term of reference, the committee is expected to review and update the Draft National Housing and Urban Development Policies in line with the priorities outlined in both the transformation agenda of the present administration and the nation’s Vision 20:2020.

It is also required to engage with all relevant stakeholders and partners in order to feed their respective inputs into the draft and thereafter present for consideration, updated policies reflecting the shared views of all relevant partners for the revitalisation of the housing and urban development sector.