Minister laments slow pace, may withdraw FG estate contract in Kano

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, is worried over the slow pace of work of 500 housing units at the Renewed Hope City in Kano.

Dangiwa expressed his dissatisfaction during an on-spot assessment of the construction site at Lambu village, Tofa local government area of Kano, on Sunday, where he warned the contractor to step up or risk losing the job.

The 500 housing units deconstructed into 2-bedroom semi-detached, 1-bedroom semi-detached, and 3-bedroom semi-detached bungalows are part of phase one of the Federal Government Renewed Hope Housing Scheme in the country.

Addressing the contractor, Arc. Dangiwa said, “We are not happy with the level of work being carried out here. We expect you to be way ahead of where you are now. You need to sit up or by next week if we come back here and there is no progress we take up the ones you have not started and give them to someone.

“We know you have the capacity that’s why you were selected to do the job. So many people are looking for job. Employ more hands because you are expected to complete in five months. By the end of this year we want this work to be commissioned.”

On his part, the contractor, represented by the Project Manager, Haruna Lawal assured the minister of change and proactiveness on the job to meet the deadline.

The second leg groundbreaking exercise Housing Programme covers eight states across the geo-political zones covering Ebonyi and Abia (southeast), Akwa Ibom and Delta (south-south), Osun and Oyo (south-west), and Benue and Nasarawa states (north-central).

The first leg of the exercise included groundbreaking for 1,500 units in five Northern states which covered Renewed Hope Estates in Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, and Sokoto, and a Renewed Hope City in Kano.

Dangiwa led the groundbreaking ceremony for the 250-housing unit Renewed Hope Estate in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, in July with the assurance of completion of all the housing projects in a couple of months.

The Oyo event marks the completion of the second round of groundbreaking exercise, resulting in a total of 2,000 housing units across eight states.

Phase one of the Renewed Hope Housing Programme aims to deliver 50,000 housing units across Nigeria, including seven Renewed Hope Cities with 500-1,000 units each in the six geopolitical zones and the FCT, and 250-unit Renewed Hope Estates in the remaining thirty states.

Apart from addressing the housing deficit in the country, the federal government said the scheme aimed at creating job opportunities, uplifting lives, and boosting economic development in the country.

Dangiwa stressed that the program resonates with President Bola Ahmad Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to stimulate inclusive growth, lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty, and build a $1 trillion economy.