The Managing Director and Chief Executive, Federal Housing Authority, Hon Oyetunde Oladimeji Ojo, Saturday 23rd March, 2024 continued his tour and consultation with State Governors, with a visit to the Executive Governor of Benue State, His Excellency Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia.
Hon Ojo addressing the Governor, informed him that his apart from coming for a courtesy visit was primarily to relay the message of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Renewed Hope on Housing which the FHA team has taken to seven state governors.
While thanking Governor Alia for the way reception given to his team, and the obvious visible developmental strides in Benue State, the FHA Chief Executive told the governor that the Authority’s mission is to build houses which comes top in the welfare index, and following the President’s mandate to FHA to help tackle the current housing deficit by not only building houses for Nigerians, but livable and affordable ones, he had come to ask for land.
According to the MD “Mr President had given us the mandate to provide houses to tackle the housing deficit. Therefore, we need land”. Continuing, Hon Ojo told the governor, “you have the red biro. As a brother and friend, I know you will give us waivers like the other governors we have visited”.
Reminiscent of his message to the other governors the MD and his team has visited,, the FHA boss told the governor that as a result of the new policy of FHA management, the Authority does not build houses anymore without consulting the state governments, whose people the houses are built for.
He noted.that the various state governments know the preferences of the people, their culture.
” we don’t want to build houses without carrying you along because you know the people and their culture. We need synergy and collaboration with you to make the houses meet the need of the people” he added.
Hon Ojo also espoused leveraging on the value chain of Housing and construction in boosting the economy and fighting inflation. The FHA CEO noted that.the housing sector has the capacity to engage all manners of direct and indirect jobs.
The MD said that FHA is considerate of Nigerians in the lower rung of the economy.This according to him is why the Authority has adopted house types and models that would address their situation.
In his words, ” we don’t just want to build houses, but affordable ones. That is why we have considered those who are in the lower income bracket like junior staff and the younger ones and come up with one Bedroom apartments , Studios and carcas.”
Hon.Ojo said that the idea.of carcass was to have the same exterior finishing, electricals and plumbing, why the finishing would be according to the size of the pockets. This he said would hugely reduce the price of the houses.
The Managing Director noted that FHA is known to create cities with standard infrastructure and all modern facilities is currently talking with institutions like JAMB, WAEC and the office of the CGS for profiled off- takers, which conveys the sense of ownership in projects.
The MD informed the governor that FHA plans a Diaspora City project for the benefit of our people living abroad. This he said would save them from the hands of fraudsters who short change them without building the kind of houses they remit money to be built for. He noted that with the current digitalisation of the Authority, Diasporians would be able to transact with FHA and monitor their investment with the Authority from any part of the world.
Hon Ojo therefore reiterated the.non partisan mandate of President Bola Tinubu to FHA to build houses for Nigerians irrespective of political affiliation, leaning or inclination and thanked the governor for the collaboration and synergy with FHA to Kickstart the process of affordable housing in the state.
In his response. Governor Alia thanked the FHA team for considering Benue State for collaboration in Housing. He pointed out that the Authority’s program is in sync with the State Government is currently doing, by engaging in massive construction.
He said the state would give Federal Housing Authority as much land as it wants in the state and is ready to support the project.
According to him:,” for the question of land,.the answer is yes. Just tell us how much land you want. We are also ready to support the project. It could be financial”.
The Governor said that the state is excited at prospect of partnering with FHA for Housing delivery as they need houses.” We are excited as we all need houses. The scheme is going to add colours to the many feathers we.are already wearing”. He stated.
Governor Alia who went ahead to list the laudable projects of his administration affirmed that the FHA’s presence will add to the new Benue he is building .
“Your presence will add color to the new Benue we all crave for, the development you bring to Benue can not be quantified”. He concluded.
