Renewed Hope Housing Programme: Kogi Govt gives 100 Hectares Of Land To FHA

-As FHA Boss Seeks Gov, Citizens Cooperation

The Kogi State Government has given 100 hectares of land to Federal Housing Authority for the construction of the Renewed Hope Housing estate in the state.

The Governor of the State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, made this known Wednesday 22nd May 2024 when the Managing Director and Chief Executive, Federal Housing Authority, Hon Oyetunde Ojo led a team of his management on a courtesy visit to the governor.

Hon Ojo had in his remarks informed the governor that the kernel of the visit was to deliver the Renewed Hope message of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu(GCFR) on housing to the people of Kogi State.

The MD reiterated the importance President Tinubu attaches to giving Nigerians affordable and befitting houses, a promise he made right from the campaign days.

To fulfill the promise, Hon Ojo said the President appointed the Management of FHA, which he heads as Chief Executive with a clear mandate to provide affordable and livable houses for all Nigerians, regardless of religion or politcal inclination.

As a clear adherence to this apolitical directive, the MD noted that his team was visiting Kogi as the 21st state in a matter of weeks.

He noted that the states visited included those of other political leaning that APC. The president he said is interested in the welfare of all Nigerians.

Hon Ojo therefore informed the Governor that FHA has come to request for land for the Renewed Hope Housing project.

He appealed to the governor that the land has to be freed and devoid of such other bottle necks as payment of compensation.

By this, Hon Ojo said the state government would have initiated a kind of Social Housing strategy, by help reducing the construction cost of the houses, which would ultimately be beneficial to the people of the state by the time the houses would be completed.

The FHA boss also requested for off – takers from the state.

He stressed that there was the need for the state to encourage its workers to take the houses.

According the the MD, the houses to be built are for the people of the state, therefore “we need to carry the people along from planning to design”.

Hon Ojo said: “We will not sit in Abuja and impose things on the people. We can not do designs for you. We want to collaborate with you in designs and planning. We have to synergise with you to meet the need of the people”.

The Managing Director also informed the Governor of the Authority’s planned Diaspora City in every state of the Federation.

This he said apart from saving the diasporians the anguish of fraudsters who usually short change them in the guise of building houses for them, but end up doing nothing.

FHA’S recent digitisation launch he noted would afford the people in diaspora a seamless participation, where they would monitor their investments from the comfort of their homes.

He noted that the Diaspora City would enable the diasporians the chance of having befitting houses back home, comparable to what they are used abroad.

Hon Ojo also said that the FHA Mortgage Bank would play a very big role in helping create mortgages for people that could not purchase outrightly .

The model of delivering the houses the MD noted has been structured to favor those in lower income bracket.

The Authority he said would be delivering on carcas or semi finished, where the allottees would be at liberty to do the internal finishing to their individual taste and affordability.

He questioned the rational behind imposing exquisite finishing on people, which usually end up increasing the cost of construction and disposal prices.

For this, he said FHA would do the necessary infrastructure and exterior, the electrical and plumbing and allowing the finishing to individuals. This he also said is a way of achieving the desired affordability.

Finally, Hon Ojo noted that economic benefits that the state would attract through the value chain of Housing construction in creating jobs. Apart from reducing inflation,