FHA Managing Director, Ojo Visits Benue

-As Gov Alia Pledges Land, Financial Support To The Agency

The Managing Director and Chief Executive, Federal Housing Authority, Hon Oyetunde Oladimeji Ojo, on Saturday visited the Benue State Governor , Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia.

The visitation was in continuation of his tour and consultation with the state governors across the Federation.

CityMirrorNews reports that Hon Ojo and his team had visited the Southwestern states and Chief of Defence Staff to convey message of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope on Housing which the FHA team has taken to seven state governors.

Speaking, FHA Boss told the Governor that the Authority’s mission was to build houses which come top in the welfare index.

He hinted that the mandate given to FHA by the President was to tackle the current housing deficit by not only building houses for Nigerians, but livable and affordable ones.

Seeking the governor’s support, Hon Ojo said: “Mr President had given us the mandate to provide houses to tackle the housing deficit. Therefore, we need land. You have the red biro. As a brother and friend, I know you will give us waivers like the other governors we have visited.

Reminiscent of his message to other governors the MD and his team has visited, the FHA boss told the governor that as a result of the new policy of FHA management, the Authority does not build houses anymore without consulting the state governments, whose people the houses are built for.

He noted that the various state governments know the preferences of the people, their culture.

“We don’t want to build houses without carrying you along because you know the people and their culture. We need synergy and collaboration with you to make the houses meet the need of the people” he added.

Hon Ojo also espoused leveraging on the value chain of Housing and construction in boosting the economy and fighting inflation.

The FHA CEO noted that the housing sector has the capacity to engage all manners of direct and indirect jobs.
The MD said that FHA is considerate of
Nigerians in the lower rung of the economy.

This according to him, the reason the Authority has adopted house types and models that would address their situation.

“We don’t just want to build houses, but affordable ones. That is why we have considered those who are in the lower income bracket like junior staff and the younger ones and come up with one Bedroom apartments , Studios and carcas.”

Hon Ojo said that the idea of carcas is to have the same ex terior finishing, electricals and plumbing, why the finishing would be according to the size of the pockets, this he said would hugely reduce the price of the houses.

The Managing Director noted that FHA is known to create cities with standard infrastructure and all modern facilities is currently talking with institutions like JAMB, WAEC and the office of the CGS for profiled off- takers, which conveys the sense of ownership in projects.

The MD informed the governor that FHA plans a Diaspora City project for the benefit of our people living abroad, saying it would save them from the hands of fraudsters who short change them without building the kind of houses they remit money to be built for.

He noted that with the current digitalisation of the Authority, diasporians would be able to transact with FHA and monitor their investment with the Authority from any part of the world.

Hon Ojo, however reiterated the non partisan mandate of President Bola Tinubu to FHA to build houses for Nigerians irrespective of political affiliation, leaning or inclination and thanked the governor for the collaboration and synergy with FHA to Kickstart the process of affordable housing in the state.

He therefore thanked Governor Alia for his hospitality and reception given to his team, just as he commended him for the obvious visible developmental strides in Benue State.

Responding, Governor Alia thanked the FHA team for considering Benue State for collaboration in Housing. He pointed out that the Authority’s program is in sync with the State Government is currently doing, by engaging in massive construction.

He vowed that the state would give Federal Housing Authority as much land as it wants in the state and is ready to support the project.

“For the question of land, the answer is yes. Just tell us how much land you want. We are also ready to support the project. It could be financial”, the governor said.

The Governor further said that the state is excited at prospect of partnering with FHA for Housing delivery as they need houses.

“We are excited as we all need houses. The scheme is going to add colours to the many feathers we.are already wearing”. He added.

Governor Alia listed the laudable projects of his administration and affirmed that FHA’S presence would add to the new Benue State he is building , saying the presence of Hon Ojo and his team
would add colour to the new Benue they all crave for.

“The development you bring to Benue can not be quantified”. He concluded. .