By Perpetua Onuegbu
The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) says it has contributed 149,000 housing units nationwide in its 50 years of existence adding to national housing stock.
Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, the Managing Director, FHA made this known during a news conference to intimate the public about it’s forthcoming 50th anniversary on Friday in Abuja.
According to him, the agency has tried to live up to its mandate of providing affordable housing to citizens especially when it was under government budgetary allocation and is still able to do more of it is provided with the funds.
“So far, before the issue that mandated us to be fully privatise and then full commercialisation and now as partial commercialisation model.
“When it was a civil service entity with funds from the government, we were able to do so much and that was how we kick started the Diamond Estate Projects, Festac Town, Abesan One, Four, Five and Six.
“We moved to Ogun State and we have built so many estates. Here in Abuja, we have a lot of projects especially when a lot of civil servants were moving to the capital.
“A lot of funds were available and we were able to build 49,000 units of houses in direct construction houses by FHA. Also, over 100,000 units have been built when you look at partnerships with private developers all around the capital city and other states.
“In total, we would be looking at over 149,000 units of housing built in 50 years and we are prepared to do more with the renewed hope model that is coming in.”
Ashafa said they have also commenced the construction of 340 units of houses in the first phase of their Bwari Estate in Abuja, adding that they are going to replicate its Rent to Own Delivery Model that were used on previous estates.
While stressing that at inception of the Authority in 1973, it had operated smoothly and was able to provide affordable housing to Nigerians until successive government policies impacted negatively on its operational efficiency.
Ashafa also decried that poor government funding had to a great extent hindered the agency from achieving its original mandate of housing Nigerians.
He further lamented that the authority is not presently in the Federal Government budget.
The chief executive said in view of the huge housing deficit in the country, the authority, would need nothing less than 500 billion naira to effectively provide affordable housing to Nigerians.
“As you are aware, FHA is 50 years and it has passed through successive governments with different policies that impacted on the operational efficiency of FHA. Though well intentioned , some of the policies were badly implemented.
“To compound the authority’s case, in 2003, we were completely removed from the budget without being given the proposed take-off grant.
“What that meant was that we could no longer provide affordable houses as expected of us, neither can we seamlessly maintain our estate.”
“With the support of our board and parent ministry, we are making progress. We have secured our lands and other assets, especially reclaiming all our estates that were encroached on.”
Ashafa said in commemoration of this golden jubilee celebration, FHA has commenced with construction of the Golden Jubilee Estate in Mbora District of Abuja.
According to him the estate would be replicated in all zones of the country, with that of Lagos being the next TVin the line.
“We completed the Zuba Estate and commenced the construction of 340 units of houses in Bwari, Abuja.
“We are not presently in the budget of the Federal Government but to be modest we are well positioned to benefit from the 100billion naira supplementary budget given to the minister of housing.
“We hope that something reasonable will be given to us to be able to assist in building houses for Nigerians.
“If the amendment of our Act is done such that we are able to enter into the Federal Government budget, we need nothing less than 500 billion to start with, we need to recover the housing deficit in the country,” he said.
Commenting on other achievements of the authority he said its operations are now digitalised which had curbed malpractices and also succeeded in repositioning the FHA Mortgage Bank among other achievements.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports FHA is noted for building Festac Town, Gowon and Diamond Estates in Lagos South West, Egeada and Grace Land Estates in Owerri, Imo state, South East.
Others are Iguosa Estate in Benin, Edo state, Trans Amadi Gardens and Rumueme in South South. Gombe Estate, Gombe state North West and Gwarinpa Estate the largest estate in West Africa among others.
NAN reports that the Golden Jubilee anniversary will be holding on Thursday November 24, and would be graced by President Bola Tinubu, the Chief Host, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development Mr Ahmed Dangiwa.
The Keynote address delivered by Mr Babatunde Fashola, former Minister of Works and Housing.
NAN also reports that the Federal Housing Authority was established by Decree No 40 of 1973 now cited as ACT CAPF-143 Lawa of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)