FHA to build 30,000 houses, diaspora city in Abuja

The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has unveiled plans for the construction of Abuja Diaspora City to be sited on 750 hectares of land in Kabuzu-Maitama II district as well as 30,000 mass housing in the nation’s capital city.

FHA acting managing director/chief executive officer, Umar Gonto, disclosed this yesterday during an interactive session with the House of Representatives committee on housing and habitat.

Gonto hinted that plans are underway for roadshows in part of Europe and Asia in partnership with Nigerian in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), as part of efforts geared toward attracting foreign investors.

While soliciting for budgetary allocation from federal government in a bid to embark on mass and commercial housing schemes across the country, the FHA boss, however, commended the 8th Assembly for its intervention that resulted into appropriation of N5 billion for FHA in 2017 since 2005.

He observed that FHA has so far constructed seven estates in Abuja including the estate located in Apo District, which is currently before the Supreme Court, following the dispute with Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) that initially awarded the land to FHA but was revoked by Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

Gonto equally informed the lawmakers of the 150 hectares of land acquired by FHA in Bwari Area Council, Abuja for the construction of houses for key workers such as doctors, immigration, police, NSCDC and among others.

He explained that the 30,000-pilot mass housing scheme being developed by FHA in Abuja will be replicated in the six geopolitical zones of the country, adding that similar estates have been developed in Osogbo, Yenegoa, Kano, Gombe, Cross River, and Benue states respectively.

He further added that the mass housing estate being developed in Zuba area of Abuja which has attained 75 percent completion level will be completed by December 2019, just as he lamented the inability of FHA to have access to land in the city capitals across the country.

According to him, no fewer than 5,000 houses were developed by FHA in Gwarimpa area of Abuja, while efforts are ongoing to construct system houses in the North East geopolitical zone for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in partnership with foreign investors from Germany and Spain.

Chairman of the committee, Hon Mustpha Dawaki, tasked the management of FHA on the need to liaise with Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in order to access the N100 billion earmarked for mass housing under the Service Wide Vote (SWV) as proposed by President Muhammadu Buhari during the presentation of the 2020 budget estimates to the joint session of the National Assembly, as well as the need to synergize with Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN).

Meanwhile, the House committee on electoral matters has assured Nigerians that it will do everything within its powers to improve and strengthen the conduct of elections in the country.

The chairman of committee, Hon Aishatu Jirbril Dukku gave the assurance at the inaugural meeting of the committee on Wednesday.

Dukku explained that this would done in partnership with all relevant electoral and political bodies, civil society organisations, both local and international.

Credit: Leadership