A Daily Trust columnist, Umar Shuaibu, on Wednesday night won the Housing Industry Columnist of the Year at the Abuja Housing Show awards held at International Conference Centre.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fesadeb Communications, who organized the annual event, Barr Festus Adebayo said Shuaibu, a town planner who authors Eye on Abuja column in the Daily Trust, was recognised for his in-depth knowledge of housing issues and intellectual contributions to the housing sector.
Six governors and companies bagged various awards for pursuing mass housing policies and bringing innovations in the construction sector.
The governors are Umar Ganduje (Kano), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Mohammed Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
In the company category, Solignum won the Wood Preservative Product of the Year. Sungold Estate Ltd bagged the Fastest Growing Estate Company of the Year while Adron Homes received the Award of Excellence in Estate Development.
Erstwhile Director of Development Control of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Mr Yahaya Yusuf bagged Town Planner of the Year and a former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Ezekiel Oyemomi got Life Achievement Award.
In the female category, an Executive Director with the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC), Dr Chii Akporji received Outstanding Female Finance Executive of the Year while the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Urban Shelter Ltd, Sa’adiya Aminu was awarded the Female Housing CEO of the Year.
Also, Rev. Ugo Chime, President of Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) bagged the Real Estate Developer of the year award.
Barr Adebayo said names of the awardees were picked following an online poll between 25th May and 5th June, 2016 via www.housingnews.org.ng/award.
Born on March 20, 1967 in Suleja, Niger State. Umar got his first degree in Geography in 1988 from ABU Zaria, and a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the same university in 1998.
He worked with the FCDA from 1990 and retired as an Assistant Chief Town Planning Officer in 2004. He is presently a lecturer at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Federal University of Technology Minna.
Responding, Umar thanked FESADEB Comm. Ltd and the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing for the award recognition.
He said, “I am elated, honoured and humbled by this award. I give gratitude first to Almighty Allah for giving me the idea, wisdom and consistency to write and maintain the Eye on Abuja Column, to the extent of getting the recognition to earn me this award.
“I thank the Daily Trust Newspaper for providing me with the platform to write the column, the Fedadeb Communications for giving me the award and my family for their support.”
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