Ministry partners association on housing scheme

The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has announced a partnership with the Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria to advance the delivery of affordable housing under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme.

This collaboration was formalised during a courtesy visit by AHCN President and Chairman of Council, Eno Obongha, and his delegation to the ministry.

The ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Salisu Haiba, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

The partnership is set to focus on eradicating homelessness and ensuring that all Nigerians have access to decent and affordable housing in a safe environment.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, said, “The Renewed Hope Housing Programme was initiated to boost the stock of affordable housing in Nigeria.”

He assured his guests that the ministry is committed to completing all housing projects under the program, with a clear stance against abandoning any houses.

“There will be no abandoned houses under this programme,” he emphasised.

The minister also highlighted the importance of using high-quality, locally sourced building materials in the construction process.

“Despite our goal of providing affordable and accessible houses for all Nigerians, we will not compromise on quality. High-quality building materials will be used to deliver houses that will be acceptable to Nigerians, while also boosting our local economy,” he stated.

Dangiwa expressed his satisfaction with the Agric-Villages Scheme, an initiative of the AHCN aimed at acquiring farmland in rural areas across all states.

This scheme is designed to use agriculture as a driver for housing provision, thereby creating job opportunities for unemployed youths.

“The Agric-Villages Scheme will be incorporated into the National Social Housing Fund initiative, which the Ministry is working to implement,” the minister said, noting its potential to provide access to affordable housing for low- and no-income Nigerians.

Earlier, the President and Chairman of AHCN, Obongha, expressed the association’s desire to actively participate in the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda.

“We are committed to supporting this initiative by providing about 15 hectares of land in each senatorial district for housing development, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” he said.

The association also sought the minister’s support in enabling State Housing Corporations to obtain Housing Development Funds through mortgages and requested inclusion in executing housing projects under the Renewed Hope Housing Programme.

Furthermore, Obongha proposed that at least 20 per cent of the building materials used in the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda projects be locally sourced to promote economic growth and sustainability.