….Issues Three Months Deadline For Completion
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has issued a strong warning to developers of Renewed Hope Cities and Estates projects across the country, noting that the Ministry will not tolerate substandard work at the site.
Speaking during the ground-breaking for 250-housing unit Renewed Hope Estate in Ebonyi state on Wednesday, the Minister said shy practices will not be condoned by the Federal Government who has paid for the houses to be built in line with the terms of contracts and approved standards for the benefits of Nigerians.
He urged those who have engaged in such practices in the past to seize the opportunity as a call to repent of their actions, noting that the federal government will come heavy on any defaulter, using the full weight of the law.
The flag-off in Ebonyi state marks the first of eight states in the second leg of ground-breaking to be performed for the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme launched by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in February 2024 covering the Southern and North-Central regions 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 unit Renewed Hope Estates, each in Katsina, Yobe, Gombe and Sokoto and a 500-housing unit 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 ground for a total of 2,000 Renewed Hope Housing Units in eight (8) 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,” he said
The Renewed Hope Estate to be developed by Jephthah Global Investments Ltd, Proportion Construction Works Nigeria Limited, Ideal Shelters Limited and KLYN Construction Works Ltd, 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.
He said, “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.”
While he urged the developers to work within the stipulated time frame of three months, he emphasized the economic component of housing construction and its potential 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 work 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% 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.
Noting that the estate is being implemented as part of the projects captured in the N50bn 2023 Supplementary budget, he called on other state governors to also provide land for Renewed Hope Estates to be built in their states as provided for in the 2024 budget.