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FHA built only 37,000 houses in 40 years – Minister

By on July 27, 2013

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Amal Pepple, on Wednesday lamented that the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) built only 37,000 housing units in its 40 years of existence.

Speaking at the inauguration of a Steering Committee on the Restructuring and Commercialisation of the agency to recommend cheaper ways of funding the housing sector in the country, she said the outcome of the committee’s work is crucial for attracting investment from the private sector.

She said the FHA, established in 1973 to ensure mass housing for Nigerians in line with the Federal Government’s desire, performed poorly, among others, due to historical operating losses, huge legacy debts, poor IGR base, poor corporate governance, high cost of housing units and lack of internal cohesion.

Pepple urged all organisations represented on the committee to actively participate by making valued contributions, stressing that the panel is made up of experienced and knowledgeable professionals, carefully selected to deliver on the objectives.

The Minister noted that the inauguration is a major milestone in the collective and determined efforts of the present administration to “make housing delivery more robust and efficient in line with the new housing policy and the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda”.

She regretted that the first national housing policy in the country which sought to provide houses for all Nigerians by 2000 failed, following which the nation “is said to have a housing deficit of about 16 million units”.

According to the Minister, the new national housing policy which was approved last year is designed to bridge the gaps by providing affordable housing for Nigerians. She stated that achieving the objectives require the concerted efforts of all stakeholders, the three tiers of government, financial sector operators, the organised private sector, professional bodies and cooperative societies.

She charged the committee to work with the Technical Board and the Interim Management Team (IMT) to ensure the full commercialisation of the FHA in accordance with the Public Enterprises Privatisation and Commercialisation Act of 1999.

 

 

[Daily Independent]