Reps probe FHA, FMBN over non-refund of National Housing Fund contributions

The House of Representatives on Tuesday unveiled plans to investigate the activities of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) over the non-refund of National Housing Fund (NHF) contributions to beneficiaries.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Eta Mboram, who frowned at the failure of employers of labour to remit the contributions into the NHF coffers.

In his lead debate, Hon. Mbora observed that the National Housing Fund was established to mobilize funds to facilitate the provision of affordable housing for employed Nigerians.

“The House also notes that every Nigerian earning N3,000 or more per annum is required to contribute 2.5 per cent of his or her monthly salary to the NHF.

“The House further notes that the core mandate of the (NHF) is to facilitate the mobilization of funds for the provision of Houses for Nigerians at affordable prices, ensure easy access to loan facilities to Nigerians for building, purchasing of improvement of residential houses, provide incentives for capital markets to invest in property development and provide long-term loans to Mortgage Institutions for lending to contributors to the fund.

“The House is aware that the National Housing Fund (NHF) Act provides that refund shall be made to contributors who did not obtain a housing loan while in service and should be processed and paid within three months of receipt of the application for a refund.

“The House is concerned that some Ministries, Departments and Agencies do not remit deductions from contributors’ salaries to Managers of the fund as stipulated by the Act, hence contributors who are mostly civil servants, are often oblivious of remittances made on their behalf while in service until the time of their retirement.

“The House is worried that retirees who applied to the Federal Mortgage Bank and the National Housing Fund to be refunded have not been attended to in the last three years, resulting in endless delays of refund and non-payment of their refund.

“The House is further aware that retirees who have invested productive years in the course of their service to the nation deserve a rewarding treatment in getting their contribution to the fund during active years in service as the country does not provide social security welfare for retirees,” he noted.

To this end, the House mandated its Committee on Housing and Habitat to investigate the unnecessary delays and non-refund of retirees’ contributions to the National Housing Fund by both the Federal Mortgage Bank and the National Housing Fund.

The House also mandated the Committee to investigate the activities of the Federal Mortgage Bank (FMBN) and the National Housing Fund with respect to contributions, remittances from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and report back within four for further legislative action.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…Osun APC faction rejects  Osun APC faction rejects

Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train

The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…Osun APC faction rejects  Osun APC faction rejects