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National Summit on Affordable Housing opens in Abuja

By Mustapha Suleiman

As part of efforts to address the housing needs of Nigerians, the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in collaboration with German Development Cooperation (giz) and other collaborating private development partners will this week convene the first National Summit on Affordable Housing.

The Summit which will be declared opened on Monday by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola will amongst other key objectives seek to proffer a clear, sustainable, realistic and strategic blueprint for affordable housing delivery in Nigeria.

A statement signed by Mrs Eno Olotu, Assistant Director of Information in the ministry stated that the summit would further provide opportunity for property developers and other service providers in the industry to showcase existing housing stock, building materials and new construction technologies that could reduce costs and enhance efficiency for affordability of housing units in Nigeria.

“ Stakeholders during the sessions will deliberate on five key pillars in which the Summit has been premised upon. These include: issues of Land, Concessions/Incentives and Housing Finance. Others are: Off-Taker Strategy and General Skills Development/Technology.

The Summit will also deliberate on key constraints and challenges militating against the provision of affordable housing in the bid to examine and proffer solutions during the two-day event.

Policy makers, investors, professionals in the built industry, banking institutions and the Capital Market players will form part of discussants at the Summit.’’

Maitakurori villagers to take possession of newly constructed houses soon

From Edmond Lemdi Okolie & Omirin Olatunji, Maiduguri

One of the villages destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno state that the state government is reconstructing may soon be re -occupied by its inhabitants as 200 of the total 400 houses being built are nearing completion.

Maitakurori, a village located ten kilometres away from the Benisheik along Maiduguri to Damaturu road was attacked by armed insurgents in 2014 and the whole village razed, forcing the villagers to take shelter in makeshift tents.

Some of the villagers that spoke to Daily Trust expressed their happiness that their mud houses roofed with thatch are being replaced by the state government with modern buildings that have toilets and bathrooms.

Governor Kashim Shettima had earlier said all destroyed towns and villages will be replaced with modern buildings connected to electricity, potable water, clinics, schools, and markets, places of worship, courts and police stations.

The Bulama (ward head) of the village, Malam Bulama Ngada said with this development, life will become easier for them as they had no shelter and only live under little huts made of grasses which cannot protect them from the rains and strong winds.

Daily Trust gathered that the construction of 200 units of two and three bedroom flat which was started in January this year has reached 70 percent completion with most of them roofed and finishing work in progress.

Hadiza Mustapha, a resident, urged the state government to complement the housing projects with health centres and schools to cater for their healthcare and the education of their children.

How we maintain our building standard – Haven homes

By Mustapha Suleiman

The Managing Director / CEO of Haven Homes, Tayo Sonuga has attributed the ability of the property company to deliver affordable luxury homes to Nigerians to its determination to maintain the standard it started with in 2006.

Sonuga said, “The mission was clear from the onset. We wanted to change the trend. We knew it was possible to replicate the standards in Europe, America, Dubai and other developed parts of the world here in Nigeria. That is what we have been doing effectively and consistently in the most affordable way for about a decade now.”

Sonuga explained that the company’s vision of luxury homes delivery was put into reality through a unique partnership with award winning architecture firm PLAYINARCHITECTURE.

“With the partnership, we were able to develop never seen before luxury homes in Nigeria. Haven Homes became truly the first commercial developer of real contemporary homes in Nigeria. Prior to this, real contemporary homes had remained the domain of the rich and famous who could afford expensive architects to design and employ expatriates to build their mansions. Haven Homes changed this concept by introducing the first truly contemporary architecture at the most affordable prices into the Nigerian market.’’

According to him, the company has been able to improve on its standard despite the economic hardship of the country without comprising quality due to its principle of home delivery beyond profit making, adding that the company 2017 housing models would soon be released to the public for subscription.

COREN approves registration of 764 engineers, 80 technologists, others

By Mustapha Suleiman

The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has approved the registration of 764 Engineers, 80 Technologists, 13 Engineering Technicians, one Engineering Craftsman and 8 Engineering Consulting Firms.

The registration approval was endorsed at the 150th ordinary council meeting held recently.

The council chaired by President and Chairman of the Council, Engr. Kashim A. Ali also considered the report of the universities accreditation exercise conducted on 30 programmes in six universities across the country and gave eleven programmes full accreditation while 19 programmes got interim accreditation.

COREN during the meeting called for synergy with the Nigerian Immigration Service in the online registration of expatriates coming to practice engineering in the country.

It also seeks to review the operations of Engineering Regulation and Monitoring programme with particular emphasis on developing strategies to curtail incessant collapse buildings as well as set up a 13 man committee to review the COREN’s Engineers (Registration, Etc) CAP E.11; 2004 with Engr. I.K Inuwa, a past president of COREN and the Nigeria Society of Engineers as chairman.