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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, (MD/CEO) of Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Oyetunde Ojo, today, said that he met the authority in a decrepit condition with over N12 billion deficit.
Ojo made the revelation when he received an award of excellence as a supporter of anti-corruption by Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), a subsidiary of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja.
The Managing Director also recalled that on assumption of office, the authority couldn’t pay salaries. Worse still, he said, the deficit was backed by a Supreme Court judgement.
“So there’s nowhere to run to. You just have to apply. The first month, we didn’t even know how to pay salaries. But we sat down, the five of us——- myself and the five executive directors. But first, we need to check ourselves in order for us to make progress and for people to believe in us. I keep saying Nigerians are not difficult.
The problem always is with leadership. And I’ll say it anywhere, even all over the world. What did we do? I sat with the executive directors, and I said, for every sweat of this institution, we will not spend it on ourselves.
“We will make sure we bring back the institution to its glory. And we have to be responsive as leaders here. We are the only set of managing directors and executive director that still drive on old Hilux. None of us drive a Prado” he said.
According to Ojo, over N500 billion have been invested into FHA since 1975 ——- in FESTAC, Gwarinpa, Lube, Ipaja, all over the country.
“I said, if it was our father’s business, and your father has put in N500 billion into an investment, will you watch it die? No. Now, let’s go back and let’s see a situation where we will now be making profit for Nigerian government” he said
Furthermore, Ojo, explained that over the years, the authority, with property worth over N10 trillion was operating analogue system. This system, he said, caused it to lose a lot of revenues.
So, it decided to digitise its property files.
“We collect building approvals. We collect the land. We collect ground rent—— all amounting to over N10 trillion” he noted, wondering why somebody in custody of over N10 trillion cannot pay salary.
“Something is wrong somewhere. We started digitalisation” he said.
In his remarks, the provost of the academy, Professor Sheriff Ibrahim said that Ojo has mitigated corruption in FHA and has revolutionised the activities of the authority.
“We are here today, ladies and gentlemen, because the managing director has showcased a vibrant knowledge as well as resolve to partner with the ICPC and the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN) to mitigate corrupt practises, especially within the FHA. He’s not only uniting Nigerians through housing, but he’s here to unite Nigerians through the anti-corruption drive” he stated.
