Bayelsa State Government pledges free land to FHA
…As the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Hon Oyetunde Ojo visits the state.
The Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency Senator Douye Diri has pledged to make land available to the Federal Housing Authority free of charge to support the Renewed Hope Agenda programme of President Ahmed Tinubu.
This was disclosed Friday, 3rd May 2024 when when the Managing Director and Chief Executive, Hon Oyetunde Ojo paid him a courtesy visit.
The FHA Chief Executive had in his address told the governor that his team was in Bayelsa state in continuation of the Authority’s nation wide consultation with State governments in preparation for the take off President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda programme on Housing.
Hon Ojo said Bayelsa was the 18th state FHA. consulting and taking the message of President Tinubu to in about 3 weeks. He reminded the Governor that Mr President from his campaign manifesto had made the provision of affordable housing to Nigerians a priority.
The MD said that the new FHA management he is leading, in playing a prominent role in the realization of this agenda has resolved to consult all the States in the country.
He reiterated that the Authority would no longer engage in any housing project without consulting with the people the houses are being built for.
In his words, ” gone are the days we will sit in Abuja and decide what to build for the people”.
Hon Ojo told Governor Diri that the state governors as the custodians of land in the states are so crucial in the provision of affordable houses and are also in the best position to know the exact housing needs of their people.
He therefore told the Governor that FHA has come to ask for land from the state for the Renewed Hope Housing programme. Continuing, the MD said, “we have come to ask for land to develop. We are not going to speculate. We will sit with your people to design the houses to your taste because you know the .culture of the people “.
Hon Ojo underlined the need to carry along the people in any housing project from the beginning to give the the desired sense of ownership. This he said is the antidote to the issue of houses not taken on completion.
On the models and affordability, the MD re – echoed the Authority’s stance on carcas, where only the exterior, electrical and plumbing would be provided and finishing left for the people. He used the opportunity to once more condemn imposing finishing on the people, a matter that adds to unaffordability of houses.
He noted that the Authority also would build Studio apartments and One Bedrooms in consideration of the youths and those starting life.
The FHA CEO also hinted on the Diaspora City initiative, where Nigerians living abroad would have befitting houses back home and saved from fraudsters.
FHA Hon Oyetunde noted is known for developing cities within cities. The value chain benefits of Housing and construction he noted leads economic growth through job creation and is used all over the world to fight inflation.
Finally, he asked for the collaboration of the state government in providing off takers for the project and granting waivers to the Authority which would reduce the cost and aid affordability.
The State Governor, His Excellency Senator Douye Diri in his response appreciated the MD and his team for the pragmatic style of leadership in FHA. He stated that he gas following the Authority’s tour of states in the country for consultation, noting that is the way to go..
He decried what he called the attitude of some government officials who stay in Abuja and take decisions for the people.
In his words, most officers in Federal Government stay in Abuja and take decisions for others”.
He said that the Authority’s decision of consulting with the people should be the standard practice. By consultations, the Authority would have avoided lots of factors that can impede project delivery. “This should be the standard of every Federal Government officer”, he stated.
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