FG urges professionalism, raises concerns on increasing unoccupied houses

By Cornelius Essen and Joke Falaju, Abuja

17 December 2018 | 3:45 am

[FILE PHOTO] Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola

The federal government has urged experts in the built industry to exhibit the spirit of sacrifice and professionalism in their services as government continues to provide critical infrastructure.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola stated when he received members of the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) on courtesy call in Abuja.

Fashola said government would encourage members to create a baseline data for all empty houses with information for sale or rental value, adding that those empty houses can be livable.

He also commended board’s sense of purpose, leading to several achievements within one year of its inauguration.

He stressed that this would help to eliminate quackery in the system.

Earlier, Chairman of the Board, Sir Nweke Umezuruike, had invited minister to attend the launch of the Green Book ‘The Nigeria Valuation Standards’ soon to be unveiled in Abuja.

He explained that within the year, the Board has made some remarkable strides in the improved Adhesive Stamps, the publication of the Green Book amongst others.

Umezuruike also sought the Minister’s assistance for office accommodation and prompt composition of the Board membership/replacements as are necessary.

Meanwhile, Fashola has raised concerns over the increasing number of unoccupied buildings across city centres ascertaining that the 17million-housing deficit is incorrect.

The Minister, who spoke at the launch of the Nigeria Valuation Standards pointed out that the increasing numbers of vacant houses littering city centres are not being factored into the computation of Nigeria’s housing deficit.

Represented by a board member Temitope Onaeko, the minister said “there so many vacant houses across major city of Nigeria, but we have not being putting all this factors into the computation of housing shortage in the country, we just give figures, like 17million housing deficit without considering all the vacant houses.”

He tasked the board to embark on data collection across the country so as to be able to ascertain the actual figure of housing deficit in the country, so as to aid planning.