Dangiwa Elected Chair of African Housing Ministers Caucus, Lagos Engages Experts for Building Plan Reviews and more…

Dangiwa Elected Chair of African Housing Ministers Caucus

Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, was elected as the first Chairperson of the Financial Caucus of African Ministers of Housing and Urban Development at the 43rd Annual General Meeting of Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) in Kigali, Rwanda.

Dangiwa highlighted the opportunity to promote inclusive and sustainable housing development in Africa through collaboration, innovation, and resource mobilization. He emphasized the need for unified progress across African countries in housing and urban development.

The Caucus aims to foster collaboration, increase investments in affordable housing, and improve access to decent housing for low-income populations. It also seeks to strengthen institutional capacities, enhance regulatory frameworks, and raise awareness of housing issues on regional and international agendas.

Shelter Afrique Development Bank is a pan-African housing finance institution with shareholders from 44 African governments, the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the African Re-Insurance Corporation (Africa-Re).

Lagos Engages Experts for Building Plan Reviews

The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) plans to engage consultants for reviewing building plans, inspections, and monitoring compliance through a new Certified Accreditors' Programme. At a recent session in Ikeja, the General Manager of LASBCA, Gbolahan Oki, explained that the initiative aims to enhance efficiency and ensure building safety by leveraging private sector expertise. Qualified consultants are encouraged to participate.

The programme aligns with the state government's sustainable urban development goals and aims to prevent building collapses by ensuring all buildings meet safety standards. Consultants must be registered in Nigeria, experienced, and members of professional bodies. Interested parties can obtain an expression of interest form from LASBCA headquarters.

Dr. Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu, emphasized understanding the social aspects of governance and enforcement, noting that technology should complement, not replace, fundamental social values and local government connections with communities.

Residents in Abuja express concern over harassment and intimidation by a property developer.

Residents and property owners in the Committee on Resettlement and Development Layout in Lugbe, FCT, are frustrated by continued harassment from a developer, Paul Odili, who seeks to confiscate their land. At a recent press conference in Abuja, they alleged that Odili, owner of River Park Estate, has been using thugs to vandalize property and intimidate residents.

Chairman of the CRD Residents Association, Mustapha Wasiu, stated that despite reporting the issue to the police and obtaining a court order, Odili has continued to disrupt the community by hiring thugs to cause chaos. Efforts to resolve the matter peacefully have failed.

Resident Raphael Igu noted that the community, peaceful since 1996, has been disrupted since 2007 when Odili claimed the Federal Government allocated him 474 hectares of their land. Despite court rulings in favor of the residents, Odili continues to harass them, demolishing properties even though the matter is still in court.

Another resident, Ifeoma Amos, reported that her property was vandalized and covered with sand by the developer’s agents. When contacted, Odili and the local police officers declined to comment on the situation.

The residents seek the intervention of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike to put an end to the harassment and hold the developer accountable.