• CSOs want property allocated to common people
The Federal Government has given a newly inaugurated ministerial committee four weeks to assess and develop a comprehensive strategy for the completion and disposal of a 753-unit housing estate recently recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, issued the directive yesterday while inaugurating the panel in Abuja. He said the move aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and demonstrates the administration’s commitment to converting idle assets into affordable homes for Nigerians.
His words: “This is not just another assignment; it is a mission to deliver value, hope and homes. You have four weeks to submit a preliminary report and a roadmap for the full completion and transparent allocation of the estate.”
The estate, located in the Cadastral Zone of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was formally handed over to the housing ministry by the anti-graft agency on May 20, 2025.
Previously abandoned and linked to corrupt practices, the property is now being repurposed to provide decent housing for Nigerians. The committee, chaired by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, comprises senior officials, directors, and technical advisers.
Their mandate includes conducting structural integrity tests, evaluating the extent and quality of existing work, estimating the cost of completing essential infrastructure such as roads, electricity, and water, and drafting a transparent and inclusive disposal strategy.
Plans also include implementing standard architectural guidelines and ensuring that allocation is carried out through the Renewed Hope Housing Portal to guarantee transparency, fairness, and affordability.
RELATEDLY, a coalition, Network of Abuja Left Groups, has urged the government to convert the 753 duplexes and other apartments linked to former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emiefele, for use by the common people.
Specifically, it called for the direct, non-commercial repurposing of the homes into community-owned housing for the homeless and displaced people of Abuja.
The appeal was contained in a statement signed by leaders of the group, including Salako Kayode (Revolutionary Socialist Movement); Abu Oghenero (Socialist Workers League -SWL); Omole Ibukun (Creative Change Centre); Adaramoye Michael Lenin (Democratic Socialist Movement), and Gerald Katchy (Committee for the Defence of Human Rights).
They emphasised the need for a democratic redistribution process for the duplexes that involve elected representatives of civil society, trade unions, the chiefdoms and communities around Lokogoma, students and youths, informal workers, as well as market women and traders in the area.
