In line with the renewed Hope of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Coalition of Civil Society Group in Nigeria has hailed the transformation of Shelter Afrique into Shelter Afrique Development Bank.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Comrade Paul Samuel, Executive Director of the coalition, said the transformation promises to reshape the landscape of Africans housing and urban development.
While commending Shelter Afrique Shareholders for approving the revised statutes to elevate the pan-African housing and urban development finance into a dynamic Development Bank during the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) in Algiers, Algeria, Comrade Samuel urged Shelter Afrique to live up to its expectations in Nigeria as the second largest contributor of fund to the institution.
The group said the renaming of Shelter Afrique to Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) reiterates a renewed sense of purpose, solidifying the finance status as a transformative and sustainable development bank solely dedicated to advancing urban housing and related infrastructural development across Africa.
He however reminded Shelter Afrique that Nigeria is in a housing deficit of over 40 percent of Africa’s total deficit that needs urgent action.
He said: “We seriously believe that Shelter Afrique should know that Nigeria urbanization is now overstressed and the urgent need to focus attention or concentrate on the rural areas. The downtrodden are mainly in rural areas, they need a roof over their heads. The Nigeria population as I said earlier is over 200 million people.
“The over 40 percent Housing deficit is as a result of banditry, flooding, kidnapping and other natural disasters. We seriously call on Shelter Afrique to immediately collaborate with the relevant body or institution in tackling the housing deficit in Nigeria. This is our demand.
“We are not begging but we are demanding that Shelter Afrique must do the needful now that they have transformed from Shelter Afrique, Shelter Afrique Development Bank with a vision on Housing and Urban Development.
“What is more interesting now is that our Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa is the new chairman of SHAFDB, and while the chairman of the board of directors is also a Nigerian, Chii Akpoji.”
Nigeria’s newly appointed Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, presided over the deliberations as the Chair of the General Assembly Bureau.
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