Adhere to standards, FG warns developers

From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja

Federal Government has warned developers of Renewed Hope Housing Estates in Ebonyi State to adhere to standards and specifications to deliver quality houses.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa issued the warning in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State during the groundbreaking of 250 housing units in the state under the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme.
He told the developers handling all Renewed Hope Cities and Estates projects across the country that the ministry will not tolerate substandard work at all the sites and contractors must build in line with the terms and approved standards for the benefits of Nigerians.
The flag-off in Ebonyi State marks the first of eight states in the second leg of groundbreaking to be performed for the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in February 2024. The exercise will cover six southern states and two in the North-Central region of the country.
The first leg of the exercise began with the groundbreaking of 1,500 housing units in the northern part of Nigeria, comprising 250-housing units Renewed Hope Estates, in Katsina, Yobe, Gombe and Sokoto states and a 500-housing units of Renewed Hope City in Kano.
“Work is currently ongoing at each of these sites, and our plan is to have them all completed within the next couple of months and made available to Nigerians in line with Mr. President’s desire to provide quality housing for all Nigerians.
“This second leg will see us break grounds for a total of 2,000 Renewed Hope Housing Units in eight states in the South and North Central of our country. This includes 250 housing units, each, starting in Ebonyi today followed by Abia, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Osun, Oyo, Benue and Nasarawa States.
“We have designed these housing units in a way that makes it easy and affordable for people to offtake by using organic designs to allow for future expansion as the income of beneficiaries increases. What this means is that 1-bedroom can be expanded to 2 bedrooms and 2-bedrooms can also be expanded to 3 bedrooms as the owner’s financial situation improves or his family grows,” Dangiwa said.
The minister, while urging the developers to work within the stipulated timeframe of three months, emphasised the economic component of housing construction and its potentials to develop the economy.
“Statistics show that construction of one housing unit creates an average of 25 direct and indirect jobs. So, for these 250 housing units that we are building here in Ebonyi, we aim to create jobs for over 6,500 people in various trades. From professionals like architects, civil engineers, mechanical engineers to masons, plumbers, tilers, electricians etc. This is besides the economic activities involving persons selling food, supplying blocks, building materials and the likes. The value chain effect of construction on this site is big and creates positive economic impact,” he said.
Dangiwa thanked the Governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for his prompt approval and grant of land for the project at no cost, noting that his action has helped to reduce as much as 30 per cent of the cost of the units in the estate for the benefit of potential homeowners.
“This is a dividend of responsible governance and I applaud Your Excellency for this,” he said.
Similarly, Dangiwa also noted that the Renewed Hope Estate is being implemented under the N50 billion 2023 supplementary budget, and called on other state governors to also provide land for Renewed Hope Estates Project to be built in their states as provided for in the 2024 budget.
Earlier, Minister of State, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo whose address was read by the Director, Engineering Services, Engineer Nwufo stated that, the Federal Government plans to deliver 50,000 housing units under phase 1 and part of its broad aim is to help the president’s goal to build a 1 trillion dollar economy.
The Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru Ogbonna, represented by the Deputy Governor, Princess Partricia Obila, described the project as a remarkable journey by the Federal Government to provide affordable housing for Nigerians.
He was also full of commendations for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for creating a separate ministry for housing to ensure effectiveness in housing delivery, saying that Ebonyi State proudly supports the initiative.
In a statement, the Renewed Hope Estate to be developed by Jephthah Global Investments Limited, Proportion Construction Works Nigeria Limited, Ideal Shelters Limited and KLYN Construction Works Limited, will have 50 units of 1-bedroom semi-detached bungalows, 150 units of 2-bedroom semi-detached bungalows, and 50 units of 3-bedroom semi-detached bungalows.