FHA begins validation, regularisation, revalidation of housing estates nationwide

The newly inaugurated management team of Federal Housing Authority (FHA), on Tuesday, plans for the validation, regularisation and revalidation of all houses across the country before the end of October 2020.

The FHA Managing Director/CEO, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, disclosed this during a media chat with Parliamentary Correspondents, after a courtesy call to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, where the delegation solicited National Assembly’s support for the amendment of extant FHA Act, 2004.

He said: “In any part of the world the provision of housing is one of the fundamental factors. Now, if we are talking about the deficit you will have to see what solutions you will have to fill the gap. Part of the solution is a partnership with the private sector. Aside from that the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari is trying his best to use some interventions through the national housing fund and the collaboration of the CBN to provide funds to individuals and organisations, agencies like FHA.

“So it is in this regard that we want to let Nigerians know that indeed there will be better tomorrow in the sector of the provision of housing and reason why we are here particularly is to look for the collaboration of the National Assembly in the areas of the laws or the Act establishing the Federal Housing Authority.

“If we able to put some certain items right I think we will see a better FHA in terms of performance and delivery of housing that are affordable.”

While reeling out the Agency’s short-term plans, Senator Ashafa said: “In the next couple of weeks we have introduced what you can be referred to as system via an app which is validation, regularisation and revalidation. There is another app called recovery – in this aspect, beneficiaries of houses belonging to FHA are supposed to come forward, tender their documents and ensure that whatever we have as our own record is what they are carrying out.

“This is the means of looking at what we have, raising the revenue for FHA and at the same time providing services, moving to all these estates, doing some sort of maintenance or what you referred to in the housing sector, facility management so as to upgrade some of the estates.

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“These are the things that we will be doing in the next three weeks and we are appealing to members of the public to see it as an avenue of making the government know that they are law-abiding and then challenging us to do more for them.

Speaking earlier during the interactive session with the Speaker, Senator Ashafa explained that the working visit was aimed at familiarising the FHA management team and seek for collaboration with the House, having been recently appointed and inaugurated.

He appealed for the amendment of certain aspects of the Act establishing FHA, which he said would make their work more efficient and effective.

“I would want to emphasise the main reason why we are here, which is the collaboration with the National Assembly to achieve our mandate.

“We have found out of recent that some of the items under the Act needed to be worked on. It’s on this regard that we came for this visit and crave the indulgence of the House.”

In his remarks, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila who applauded the appointment of the two legislators to pilot the affairs of Federal Housing Authority pledged the House towards ensuring effective delivery of houses to Nigerians.

“We are happy that you’re here. We look forward to collaborating with you on very pertinent issues. I have no doubt that with the kind of team you have, the FHA is about to witness turnaround for good.

“There’s no way you’ll talk about the development of any country without talking about housing or shelter.

“By God’s grace, with you guys on the saddle, Nigeria will witness a lot of roofs on our heads. So, we are very ready to collaborate and partner with you,” Hon Gbajabiamila assured.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE