Transformation Agenda Under Goodluck Jonathan
on September 8 | in Slider | by admin | with 9 Comments

As a Nigerian patriot privileged to serve my country at different levels of responsibility, I firmly believe that the Transformation Agenda as enunciated by the Jonathan Presidency is the best hope for economic prosperity for the generality of Nigerians and the best window for the realization of the national renewal we have all yearned for in order to fulfill our manifold destiny. I am also under no illusion as to the indices that will influence the place of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in our history. Given the goals he has set for himself, it is my considered opinion that after his first term in office and beyond, the Transformation Agenda which seeks to overhaul the country and launch it on the path to prosperity will form the critical mass which critics will use to judge his performance in office.

Having been involved in articulating the vision driving this agenda in the Housing sector and as a  Minister saddled with the responsibility of bringing to fruition the lofty vision of the Transformation Agenda, I make bold to say that even the most implacable critics of this administration will agree that despite the enormous challenges which the Jonathan administration faces, visible attempts are being made today to overcome these challenges and bring about a new order of prosperity for the generality of the populace.

As an insider, I am without equivocation, stressing that in spite of formidable challenges, institutional rot, corruption and the slow pace of bureaucracy and redtapism, all the ministries have made substantial progress in furtherance of the vision and key objectives of the Transformation Agenda. Nigerians of different hues and persuasions can easily attest to this reality.

The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is a key player in the ongoing transformation of our polity. It is arguably in recognition of the importance of Housing as the second most important human need, after food,  that the Nigerian State is enjoined by Section 16 (1) (d) of the 1999 Constitution under the Fundamental Objectives and Derivative Principles of State Policy “to provide suitable and adequate shelter for all citizens”.

Between 1975 and 2010, the quest of successive administrations pursuant to the strategic national imperatives of provision of accessible and affordable housing has been stymied by institutional instability. In practical terms, the period under review witnessed many policy somersaults and changes arising from mergers and de mergers. Thus, these frequent changes in the status, tenure, nomenclature and mandate of the ministry over these years impacted negatively on its capacity to fulfill its core mandate. Following the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development as a Ministry in April 2010, the aforementioned instability and its attendant negative impact have vanished. Under my guidance and leadership, the present administration is paying great attention to this critical ministry as it drives its core mandate of land administration, Housing delivery and urban development.

Before my tenure, approved policies of government to guide its operations had been nonexistent hence the failure of past attempts to make any meaningful impact in the actualization of its core mandate. The development of the National Housing Policy and the National Urban Development Policy by the present administration represent a deliberate and concerted effort to fill the vacuum created by the absence of enabling sector policies. Given our commitment towards the provision of accessible and affordable Housing for citizens under the Transformation Agenda and Vision 20:20:20, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday 20th June, 2012, approved these two policy documents thus paving the way for an inclusive and participatory process involving all key stakeholders in the Housing Sector.

The goal of the National Housing Policy (NHP) which is to ensure that all Nigerians own or have access to decent, safe and sanitary housing in healthy environment with infrastructural services at affordable cost with secure tenure is a bold policy initiative of the Jonathan administration and a recognition of the housing sector as one of the critical drivers of our socio-economic development. A thriving housing sector with its inherent transformative capacity has created millions of jobs for Nigerians. The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has successfully tapped into the services of a pool of professionals such as architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and artisans including bricklayers, electricians, iron benders, tillers, painters etc. In the last two years, the Housing Sector employed 1,568,286 persons in the ministry and its parastatals housing projects nationwide.

Under my watch, this administration is reviewing and updating the National Building Code which was first published in 2006. This is a collaborative effort with the National Building Code Advisory Committee and upon its completion and approval by the Federal Executive Council, the Ministry will spear head full compliance with its provisions through proper enforcement by the three tiers of Government, professional and regulatory bodies and other relevant stakeholders. In addition, the Ministry is working closely with the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reform to address all the intractable problems and issues in land administration and management. We have also engaged State governments on the desirability of reducing the cost of land title applications and approval time in order to make the process of securing land titles less cumbersome and affordable for the citizenry. In addition, the Ministry has embarked on updating and upgrading of its data-base on land in the country.

In terms of Housing delivery, we have launched various intervention schemes through the relevant parastatals namely the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). Such schemes include the Cooperative Housing Finance and Rent-to-Own schemes for the informal sector. Over 400 houses developed under the former, in Lagos, are almost ready for commissioning.

The objectives of the NHF Act as envisioned by government laudable as it is, unfortunately, have not been fully realized. For instance, not all the States have bought into this mandatory contributory scheme which on full implementation will make it possible for the average Nigerian worker to fulfill his/her dream of owning a house. So far, 28 States have joined the scheme, making a total of 3, 800, 000 contributors; 59, 000 have obtained housing loans, while 37, 000 Estate development Loans (EDLS) and 22, 000 mortgages have been provided. The paucity of investments expected from banks and insurance companies have exerted negative pressure on this scheme and continues to cast a long shadow on its workability.

However, undeterred by these challenges, the present administration has continued to make concerted efforts aimed at achieving its stated goal and vision of affordable housing for all citizens. To this end, we are driving a paradigm shift not only to achieve the aforementioned government threshold but also to provide appropriate products to all Nigerians in a transparent and accountable manner with the FMBN, the FHA and the private sector through our PPP Programmes as the arrow heads and pivot of government’s desired objectives.

During the period under review, we have continued to consolidate on our stated goals with positive and tangible results.

A total of 16,447 housing units were added to the national stock through these interventions. In order to spur a significant development in the ongoing effort at housing delivery, we are determined to harness the most advanced technologies within the housing sector. A key component of government’s strategy, in this regard, is the adoption and harnessing of Alternative Building Technologies such as the light gauge Steel Construction technology, Plasswall and Plassmolite technology, hydraform technology and burnt bricks.

The Ministry has forged several partnerships on different fronts in furtherance of the goal of providing affordable housing for all Nigerians. The Cyrus Projects Nigeria Ltd, which is a Consortium of Nigerians in the Diaspora, is one of these partnerships in action. The goal of this partnership is to build unity villages in the country totaling 10,000 units in each of the six geo-political zones. The Ministry is currently funding the provision of infrastructure for the project in a pilot phase in Lafia, Nassarawa State, in order to reduce the cost of houses

The journey thus far is far from over but it has been worth it. The challenges are many but we are optimistic that we shall succeed driven by the vision, passion and support driven by Mr. President.  I thank God and Mr. President that I am privileged to be part of this history as the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development.

Pepple, CFR, is the Honourable Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development