Housing minister vows to punish corrupt builders

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has warned that real estate developers cutting corners would penalised.

The minister stated this at the opening of 102 units of luxury apartments, high-end offices and the flag-off ceremony of Project Broadfield by Dynamic Mayor Edge Company in Abuja  recently.

He also cautioned developers against deceiving subscribers and delivering substandard projects after collecting payments to uphold quality standards in housing projects.

His comments were in response to residents’ grievances about the increasing incidents of real estate fraud and customers expressing dissatisfaction due to the perceived lack of value for their money.

Last year, The According exclusively reported how a real estate firm, Good Homes Limited, scammed 166 federal civil servants of N5bn and failed to deliver 1,000 housing units after 10 years.

Dangiwa expressed the government’s commitment to protecting citizens’ rights and preventing real estate fraud.

He emphasised the importance of housing as a vital aspect of national development.

“I want to warn all developers that the days of cutting corners in these housing types are over and those who collect monies from beneficiaries off-plan and at the end of the day, they are duped should stop doing that because the days are over for that,” he said.

He noted that such actions would no longer be tolerated, as the government is collaborating with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to ensure accountability and protect the rights of citizens.

“We are collaborating effectively with the EFCC, which is the agency of government that is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the rights of the citizens are enforced, in order to remedy the sector.” the minister revealed.

He stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to citizen welfare was exemplified through initiatives like the DME Group’s estate project, aligning with the government’s vision for sustainable urban development.

The Chief Executive Officer of DME Group, Olumayowa Olurishe, in his address, unveiled plans to construct and deliver a minimum of 700 homes by 2027, while pledging further investment in Nigeria’s real estate sector.

He said, “We have a vision to be among the top 10 luxury home providers in Nigeria by the year 2032; this is because we believe every Nigerian deserves luxury irrespective of their budget size.

“In the past 6 years, we have completed over 150 affordable luxury homes, and our Apo Dutse project, which is being displayed on the screen and planned to be commissioned in October upon completion, will make it over 300 units of affordable luxury homes been delivered within seven years of establishment as a company, which we shall invite you, sir, for the commissioning as well by the special grace of God Almighty.

“By 2027, when we shall be celebrating our 10th anniversary, we plan to have built and delivered at least 700 homes.”

Also at the event, a former senator representing Adamawa North senatorial district, Mohammed Jibrilla, urged developers to stop pegging prices of essential building materials on the dollar rate.

He noted, “When you are building, please consider the pricing because everyone is talking about but there are certain things that when you build houses, you don’t consider dollars. Sand, water, and other essential materials are not dollarized. So, please, I want to advise that developers consider what Nigerians are going through and give good pricing.”