The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has said that the federal government, through the ministry, has successfully developed over 100 slums and upgraded urban renewal projects within the past two years in the country.

Dangiwa dropped the hint when he received the Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba M. Ahmadu, in Abuja, explaining that they are made up of water supply, drainage, roads, sanitation, street lighting, among other projects like interventions in schools and hospitals.

He called on both ministries to continue forging a common alliance that would enhance their respective ministerial deliverables and emphasized that the meeting was part of the inter-ministerial collaboration needed to enhance cooperation between ministries and agencies.

“With this type of collaboration, we can exchange ideas and leverage certain privileges that one has, and find a way of enhancing our ministerial service delivery that we have sworn to deliver,” Dangiwa stated.

“The ministry is developing over 1,000 housing units for the citizens, hoping for more of these between the commissions and the ministry in order to build professionals there to adequately provide designs, costings, and necessary advice for the projects.”

The minister reiterated that its mandate is to provide affordable housing for the Nigerian populace, urban renewal, and development, noting that the Renewed Hope Cities are blocks of flats, duplexes, and terraces planned to be sited in each geo-political zone of the country and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

According to Dangiwa, for the Renewed Hope Estates, the ministry intends to cover the remaining 30 states with 250 units of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom blocks of flats, to be sited in two locations in each geo-political zone of the country.

He, however, showcased the National Social Housing Programme, which targets zero- and low-income earners, the vulnerable, and underprivileged citizens, adding that they intend to commence and develop 100 houses in each local government council.

Dangiwa stressed the power of housing construction to generate employment, stating that the ministry’s over 10,112 ongoing constructions can generate at least 250,000 jobs, at 25 jobs per house.

The Permanent Secretaries of the ministries, Dr. Shuaib Belgore of Housing and Mrs. Tinuke Watti of Regional Development, added,

“Currently, Mr. President has performed the groundbreaking of 3,112 houses, funded under PPP, in Abuja, 2,000 houses in Lagos, and 2,000 units in Kano.”

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Earlier, the Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba M. Ahmadu, stated that the creation of the Regional Development Ministry by Mr. President was intended to take development to the grassroots level through the commissions, which the ministry oversees as part of its mandate.

Acknowledging housing as a cardinal objective of the Regional Development Ministry, Maigari conveyed their desire to align and collaborate with the ministry to avoid duplication of projects.

He, therefore, informed the Housing Minister of a 1,000-housing-unit estate at Mafa LGA of Borno State and stated that such an edifice would be better implemented through collaboration by both parties.

He further explained that the ministry, through the commissions, aims to undertake urban renewal, infrastructure development in selected cities, smart housing, as well as considerations of the financing models to adopt.

Also, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, while welcoming the Minister of State and his delegation, expressed hope that the interaction between the two parties would result in a collaboration that would deliver benefits to Nigerians.