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From Fred Itua, Abuja
Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has accused the Federal Government of deducting 40 per cent of the National Housing Fund (NHF), contributed by the Nigerian workers.
Executive Director of HDAN, Festus Adebayo, made the revelation in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
According to him, the Federal Government now has till the end of the year to refund the deducted sum or face legal action from the association.
Adebayo noted that the NHF, domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is aimed at making available to contributors, decent living houses, regretting, however, that the government whose responsibility it is to protect the rights of the citizens, has turned around to be their burden.
He said: “We give the Federal Government till the end of this month to return all the deductions or face legal action from HDAN. We are saying this to uncover what government is doing that is not right. We have fought for the success of NHF and we stand by that success. There is nothing government can do that will make any worker to withdraw from participating in the National Housing Fund, but we will ensure their money is not taken by any government.
“HDAN condemn the action of the Federal Government in deducting 40 per cent of NHF contribution that is domiciled in the rental account of the CBN. The National Housing Fund was set up by a decree that make provision for Nigerian workers to contribute 2.5 per cent of their basic salary. Some of these workers who have been working for about 20 to 30 years cannot benefit from this fund. Much effort has been made to get many states to be involved but the information before us is that 40 per cent is being deducted from source by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“It is our belief that the primary responsibility of the government is to protect lives and property. With the situation in the country where the cost of building materials and everything has gone up, there is no other establishment that can provide affordable housing than the government. Why should a government that is supposed to provide social housing now become a government that is deducting 40 per cent of money contributed by poor Nigerian workers?”
