The Nation Newspaper

Category: Building & Properties

  • Cedar Homes to deliver 168 units on rent-to-own

    Owning a home is the desire of every Nigerian. But given the prevailing challenges, owning one has become elusive for most people. This has continued to increase the housing deficit gap in the country. Several realtors and property developers are  trying to bridge the gap between the dream of home ownership and its reality.

    One of the firms undertaking such initiative is Messrs Reality Point Limited (RPL), an indigenous developer.

    RPL’s housing project is on the Lekki axis of Eti-Osa East Local Government Area, Lagos State. Christened “Cedar Homes”,  it was  conceptualised and designed as a haven of comfort for prospective owners, occupiers, investors and tenant-buyers. It is strategically positioned in Lekki Scheme II, Lagos. The project sits on 22,000 square metres of space and will accommodate 168 housing units.

    The frim’s Project Manager, Mr. Stephen Ajayi-James, said the project was conceived to ensure that the expectations of owners, occupiers and would-be investors were taken care of with the various housing types within the estate.

    The estate, said to have been conceived as an eco-friendly and environmentally-sustainable, gated community, offers facilities and services to foster qualitative living, better health, improved communal relationship and social engagement within the most affordable and cost effective means.

    ”Cedar Homes is an  affordable housing development, primarily aimed at providing access to quality housing solutions for middle income earners with the hope to deliver unparalleled comfortable living experience within the most affordable and cost effective means to our valued customers,” said Ajayi-James.

    According to the firm’s Managing Director, Mr. Debo Adejare, the house types being conceived are four floors of 15 blocks, each consisting of various units of flats. These will comprise studio apartments, one, two and three-bedroom apartments. Some of the three-bedroom units would be provided with maid’s room or  private family lounge.

    Adejare listed location as the first advantage offered by the scheme. This is because Cedar Homes is situated four minutes’ drive from Abraham Adesanya Estate and six minutes from Ajah round-about, and 10 minutes’ drive to Pan Atlantic University (Lagos Business School) campus, with similar  distance from Ikota Shopping Complex and the Victoria Garden City (VGC). Other strategic institutions within the vicinity include Atican Beach Resort.

    Other unique selling point of this estate is its easy accessibility to Lekki-Epe Expressway, the New Lekki Mall, the new Lekki Development Zone, which consist pipeline projects such as Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lekki Deep Sea Port, New Lekki Airport, Pan Atlantic University, Dangote Refinery, among others.

    “Proximity to other residential estates such as Atican Beach Estate, Grenadines Apartments & Terraces, Ocean Bay Estate, Lekki Gardens Estate, Lekki Pearl, Inoyo Estate, Gran Imperio’s Grand Lake Estate are other added advantage,” he said, while highlighting the value proposition to include comfort, convenience, quality and affordability.

    Adejare listed location as the first unique selling point of the estate, considering that it is just four minutes’ drive from Abraham Adesanya Estate and six minutes from Ajah round-about. “It is 10 minutes’ drive to Pan Atlantic University (Lagos Business School) campus, with similar  distance from Ikota Shopping Complex and VGC.

    The potential investor in the Cedar Homes stand to benefit from its non-encumbered title,  capital sourcing strategy, integrity of the project sponsors, design, high market absorption, project planning and delivery and pricing strategy, among others.

    Besides, prospective participants in the scheme need not worry about payment as the promoters have put in place three payment options. In the first option, which is rent-to-own, initial payment of 30 per cent deposit is required, with the balance spread over 36 months. The second option is payment of minimum initial deposit of between 20 and 30 per cent and balance spread over a period not exceeding 36 months.

    The third option is based on a mortgage facility, with payment of minimum initial deposit, followed by payment of the balance in partnership with mortgage banks for qualified prospects.

  • Nigerite fetes distributors

    Nigerite Limited, a building solution provider, is to invest in new lines of products and equipment in its expansion drive.

    Besides, the firm is to continue partnering with its distributors to boost their growth.

    The National Technical Sales Manager of Nigerite, Abimbola Banjo, said this known at Nigerite Distributors Forum in Lagos.

    He said the forum was to create a win-win situation where the distributors and Nigerite could further expand their businesses and make good profit.

    “We are going to improve on our network too because increasing the turnover and the output, you have to expand your scope, so we as a company, we are trying to expand our scope, get some more distributors in some other areas and ensure that we achieve our predicted turnover” Banjo said.

    He noted that the meeting was to get feedback from the distributors and look for possible ways to serve them better, adding that it was also an avenue to showcase the new product KalsiCeil Batten used as an alternative to wooden tie rods.

    According to him, the forum, which started last month, will run in Southwest cities, including Ogun State and Ilorin, Kwara State.

    “As part of our marketing activities and strategy, we have decided to be having regular meetings with our distributors to know how they are going about their businesses, to know some of the challenges that they are facing and to know how we can assist them in improving their performance and get feedback generally about our products,” he said.

    Banjo further noted that with the cordial relationship between Nigerite and its distributors, he was optimistic that they would continue to experience growth in their businesses.

    Expressing gratitude to the management of Nigerite Limited, one of the distributors, Ade Shaleye, said he was optimistic that the issues raised at the meeting would be resolved by the company.

  • Town planners blame lack of planning for retarded growth

    Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) Chairman, Mr. Anifowoshe Abiola, has said the inability of governments and stakeholders to match economic planning with physical planning is responsible for lack of opportunities for wealth creation in the country.

    Abiola, who spoke at a briefing on the 50th anniversary of the NITP, also rued the absence of  proper and professional planning, saying such omissions led to the arbitrary development of cities and towns.

    He blamed stakeholders and governments for the misnomer.

    He said if Nigeria paid more attention to physical planning, it would have an improved economy with more opportunities for wealth creation, disclosing that Lagos  has a comprehensive Master Plan to guide physical development in the next 25 years.

    Abiola, also the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development in Lagos State,  said  the key objectives of NITP centred on advancement of public awareness of the importance of living and working environments,  with the inclusion of advancement of town planning education, training, research and practice.

    He said: “As professionals, we have for many years been emphasising the benefits/values of orderliness, well planned communities, not only for the health of the citizenry, but also for their economic well-being.

    “This, we believe, will be better achieved if and when economic planning at state and federal government levels is treated as mutually exclusive.”

    NTIP past president, Dr. Bunmi Ajayi, said there had been plans to guide cities’ development, but that lack of finance to  implementation  them has been a challenge.

    “If the government fails to commission plans, there is nothing any town planners can do,” he said.

    Another former president of the institute, Mr. Remi  Makinde, chronicled the achievements of town planners  since  the inauguration  of NITP. According to him, they initiated  plans for the development of FESTAC Town, Satelite Town, Gowon Estate, Ipaja Low cost housing, formation of Federal Environmental Protection Agency and development of  Abuja as a new federal capital among others

    In Lagos State, Abiola said the institute offers advocacy and interfacing with public sector towards mapping out policies, laws and regulations.

    “As we celebrate 50 years of planning profession in Nigeria, we have resolved to continue to play the lead role in stimulating efforts to promote habitable settlements,” he said.

  • NB donates lab equipment to LASEPA

    To boost environmental sanitation, the Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc has donated  laboratory equipment to Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).

    This is coming after the retrofitting of the LASEPA laboratory was completed last year by the beer manufacturer.

    According to NB’s Corporate Affairs Adviser, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, the gesture is in continuation of the company’s support for increased professionalism at the agency and in line with its ‘Brewing a Better World’ as agenda.

    He said as an industrial concern, the company had made a commitment to improve its environmental impact, an ideology that has made NB to reduce its water consumption in its operations by 28 per cent since 2008. It has also ensured that built waste water treatment plants in eight of its 11 breweries.

    Ekanem further said the firm was focusing on reduction of carbon emissions, which has made it switch from low pour fuel oil (LPFO) to natural gas – a cleaner source of fuel.

    Other efforts at preventing environmental pollution include sourcing  resources sustainably,  promoting responsible consumption, health and safety, and growing with communities.

    “We have made huge investment in modern energy efficient plant and machineries as well as light weighting of packaging materials and realignment of distribution network geared towards the improvement of environmental impact of our operations,” Ekanem said, adding that NB has signed a partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) on execution of water stewardship initiatives in Southwest Nigeria.

    LASEPA’s Managing Director, Mr. Adebola Shabi, an engineer, who received the equipment on behalf of his organisation, expressed appreciation to the NB, and challenged other firms to emulate what the organisation has done.

    “A lot of  companies are contributing to environmental degradation in the state and many of them are not responding.”

    He noted that the NB has installed a fish pond to check waste water in its area of operation, urging it to partner other agencies of government to lift Lagos environment.

    Similarly, Special adviser to the governor on Environment, Mr. Babatunde Ope, also appreciated the company for supporting environmental sustainability in the state.

  • Breaking the barrier to urbanisation

    Breaking the barrier to urbanisation

    For 25 years, the Lagos State Government has been planning to construct a second access road to link Oworonshoki with other parts of the megacity. Last week, it took its first step towards the realisation of the dream, with the demolition of a storey building to make way for the road. Stakeholders are upbeat about the economic buoyancy coming with this effort, MUYIWA LUCAS reports.

    All hope seemed lost! For over 25 years, Oworonshoki community in Lagos was cut off from any meaningful economic exercise: it watched helplessly as businesses either shunned moving into the area or closed because of poor patronage. The real estate market in the area also suffered greatly as realtors and investors did not consider the ancient town for investments.

    But things are about to change as fresh hopes beckon. The community is the beneficiary of one of the 114 access roads to be constructed by Lagos State. When completed, the road will bring the community into reckoning and rekindle its economic relevance. This, it is believed, is the mission of Governor Akinwumi Ambode.

    However, for such development to take place, some people will have to make sacrifices.  So, at 10 a.m last Monday, a storey building, with approved plan number DCB/2687/45A granted on February 14, 1978, gave way for what would be the new face of Oworonshoki. The building, belonging to Chief Afolabi Yusuf, was brought down after being identified as an encumbrance on the right of way for the road; while 11 walls, 16 shops, and four other buildings would be affected minimally.

    Although the landlord was not available to comment on whether compensation was paid to him or not, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Anofi Elegushi, said compensation had been paid.

    “As an administration, which cares for its citizens, we have met with those involved with a view to compensating them. In the case of the house that was demolished, compensation has been paid. Those with minimal demolition will also be compensated by way of replacement of fence walls, among other things,” Elegushi said.

    The new access road is designed as a single carriage way of 7.3 meters with drainage on both sides; three bus stops, and one large culvert. It will be the second road in and out of Oworonshoki, and on Oduduwa Road, running parallel to the Third Mainland Bridge from Olopomeji end of the express. It will have an inlet, passing through Car Wash to Ifako Junction, before exiting into the expressway.

    The Project Director, Fountain Construction Company (FCC), Thomas Cunning, said the project was targeted at reducing the buses that stop on the expressway.

    “Therefore, it becomes imperative that the building is demolished. The building is being removed to make way for another bus path in Iyana Oworo. Of course, it provides good infrastructure and development to the local environment. The duration is three months and Oworonshoki will be opened up,” he assured.

    Kosofe Local Government Sole Administrator, Mrs. Adejumoke Animawun, said for over three decades, the Oworonshoki community had waited to be opened up, especially after being cut off by the Third Mainland Bridge.

    Mrs Animawun thanked Ambode for coming to wipe away the tears of the community.

    “We have wanted this for over three decades. It will bring a lot of development to this community and local government. It is sad that we have had only one road for over 30 years, because even for security reasons, it is not good to have one road in a community,” she said.

    The Group Managing Director, St. Daniels’ Hospital, Oworonshoki, Dr Joseph Tijani, hailed the government for “this developmental phase that is coming to Oworonshoki”. Hitherto, Tijani said, the Oworonshoki community was a garrison – one way entrance and exit. Although his hospital fence, measuring about 1.6 metres, will be affected by the construction, he said there was no ill feeling because it is for developmental purpose.

    “You have to lose something to gain something. In principle, government has promised to compensate us after the demolition of our fence, but we are yet to get anything. However, I am sure that the compensation is in the offing. This road will make my business more accessible,” he explained.

     

    A joyous community

    While the demolition lasted, one thing was very clear – the community was joyous – a sharp contrast to what usually obtains when government pulls down any building. The Youth President of Oworonshoki, Mr. Akinyemi Somorin, said there was no way the community would be up in arms against the contractor or government over the project because, since 1990, their community has been agitating for a second access road, after the completion of the Third Mainland Bridge, which cut off the community completely.

    The Council of Oworonshoki Youth Forum (COYF) General Secretary, Mr. Kabiawu Babajide, explained joyous mood of the people to be a reflection of their understanding of of the attendant benefits of the project. For instance, he said, opening up the second access road would mean that more business would flood the community, and open it up to more development.

    “People in Oworonshoki are no more living in the dark age; our eyes have been opened, so we know what is good for us and that is why when it comes to development, we always embrace it. We have been praying for this for over 25 years, so we are happy that it is now happening. It is not the building that matters, but the development coming to this community, because it will create more jobs for everybody,” Babajide said, adding that the demolished building had been a major constraint to opening up the community.

    Youth leader Abayomi Ogunrinde said the people were jubilant because the second access road, when completed in three months, would not only open up the community, but also turn the area to “another London.”

    “If this road is not done, Oworonshoki will still remain a village. This place is at sea level and we pray not to have any disaster in this area because there will not be an escape route if this road is not built. With this road, Oworo will enjoy the influx of big time firms, different banks, police station, etc. We can now boldly say that we are now in the real Lagos State with the commencement of work on this road,” Ogunrinde said.

    The Bashorun of Oworonshoki Land, Chief Aremu Jelili Lawal, said it was painful that Oworonshoki community, which he claimed has a population of about four million, had only one access road.

    Economic improvement

    The Community Development Committee (CDC) Vice Chairman, Kosofe Local Government, Rasheed Awofeso, was convinced that once the road is completed it would improve the economic base of Oworonshoki and its environs.

    Presently, according to him, the area is backward in terms of economic development. For instance, he revealed that it was just last year that a filling station was established in the community. “Businesses will come here based on infrastructural development available. Surely, development will also come with pains and gains. We are happy to be part of this process,” he said.

    Lawal told The Nation that many companies had wanted to come to the community to establish businesses but  changed their mind, with complaints about the area being a one road community. Therefore, he reasoned, demolishing the building for a second access road is a good development for the community. He revealed that the community has been discussing with the owners of the building for over 20 years.

    “Several businesses will come in. Look at First Bank Plc over there; they have completed their office building over three years ago, but it has not commenced operation because of lack of a second road. I am sure once this road is done, the bank will start operation and this will reduce the problem of its customers in this community, who always go to Ifako to transact their businesses. More companies will also come in,” he said.

    The General Secretary, CDC Kosofe Local Government, Mr. Segun Babatunde, shared the views of both Lawal and Awofeso, maintaining that the second access road, on completion, will ensure that business activities pick up, while investors will come in, and the community will boom economically.

     

    Employment

    At the moment, the community seems happy with the contractor handling  the project, FCC. No fewer than 50 youths in the community have been employed for the various aspect of the project. Besides, an earlier project, the Iyana-Oworo layback, constructed by the firm at Berger Bus stop within the community, appears to have endeared the community to the firm.

    “FCC has employed some of our youths for this job. FCC has done marvellously well, it has built a good road at Berger. We believe that the company will also do a quality job like it did at Berger bus stop. It has been doing a lot within this community, the lay-back it built at Berger bus stop is fantastic, which has eased the tension along third mainland bridge. Over 15 youths are working with them presently and we are satisfied with what it has done so far. We believe more youths will join the firm,” Babajide said.

    Cunniang explained that any community where his firm works always provides 10 to 15 per cent of its workforce. “Everywhere FCC works we bring along indigenous workers to work along with our own skilled personnel,” he said.

     

    More requests

    Like an Oliver Twist, the Oworonshoki community has not failed to ask for more. Babatunde, who spoke on behalf of the people, appealed to the government to enhance the effectiveness of the road by building another road to pass beneath the bridge to serve as a U-turn for access to either side of the road. This, they said, would also ensure  that commuters do not have to drive all the way to Ogudu to turn in or out of Oworonshoki.

    Babatunde further said the community is also eagerly awaiting the commencement of the construction of a jetty, which he noted, has been approved by the governor. “When this is done, Oworonshoki will become a peninsula and people will be able to commute by sea. So, Oworonshoki has been opened to the world and investors will definitely come here,” he said.

  • Row over retirees’eviction from FAAN quarters

    Row over retirees’eviction from FAAN quarters

    Plans by the management of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), to evict retirees living in the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN) quarters, Ikeja, Lagos has sparked a row, KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR reports.

    Crisis is brewing among residents of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) quarters in Ikeja, Lagos as plans by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) to evict a former Director in-charge of Safety and Eletronic Services, Godfrey Eze; an engineer, as well as former General Manager, Administration, Alhaji Kolawole Moshood Jimoh, are generating misgivings.

    Residents now live in fear as the quarters, also known as Strabag Estate, is becoming a battle ground between thugs allegedly hired by NAMA to  evict the retirees, who insisted that the agency had no proprietary right to evict them until all pending legal and administrative issues are resolved.

    Last week, a  battery of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel belonging to Operation MESA was drafted to the quarters to dislodge thugs allegedly brought in by NAMA to enforce an order of eviction secured by the agency.

    The heavily armed NAF personnel, who came in response to a distress call, hurried to the quaters to arrest some thugs carrying out wanton destruction of property in Eze’s apartment. They handed over the arrested thugs to the Nigerian Police.

    But the thugs staged a comeback in an alleged collusion with the police, to continue their nefarious action.

    However, the retirees said the agency could not evict them until pending issues are resolved with the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC).

    The PIC is saddled with the task of  selling government apartments as part of the Monetisation Policy of Obasanjo’s administration.

    Investigations revealed that the duo in the last few years had been in touch with the PIC on modalities for the sale of the said apartment.

    The PIC, it was learnt, had sold Expression of Interest forms to the ex-NAMA personnel, as part of preliminary processes for onward sale of the apartments to them.

    Sources hinted that surveyors and valuers from the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing visited the apartments some years ago to carry out valuation and assessment of the buildings. However, NAMA management has declined to comment on the matter.

    Speaking in an interview, Godfrey Eze, an engineer, who was relieved of his job from NAMA as Director incharge of Safety and Electrnonic Services, between December 2005  and February 2009, said the agency was unfair in its attempt to evict him from the quarters because issues surrounding his ouster have not been fully addressed.

    He said he was directly engaged by NAMA, but became a member of staff of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on secondment to the airspace agency.

    Eze said he challenged his ouster from the agency many years ago in court.

    He said the agency is yet to pay his gratutity despite a ruling by the Federal High Court, Lagos.

    The refusal of the agency to pay his entitlements and other matters related to deductions from his salary, while in service as part of the Monetisation Policy on the apartment, he said, needs to be thoroughly looked into.

    Eze said: “NAMA tried to evict me in 2013, but the move was resisted because there was no eviction notice from a competent court  or the Police and court bailiff. For a matter that is yet to be fully decided by the court, the action so far taken by NAMA management amounted to taking laws into its hands.”

    While, the furore generated by the matter was yet to settle last week,  crisis broke out at the quarters, forcing some residents to scamper for safety.

    Thugs allegedly hired by NAMA invaded Eze’s residence to evict occupants.

    On August 6, 2016, when  thugs raided Eze’s apartment, he was attending an exhibition in Abuja.

    Investigations revealed that the said thugs broke the wall at the back of the building to gain entrance; shattered the windows and threw out his property.

    Eze told The Nation: “My family has been traumatised since August 5, 2016 and August 8, 2016 when thugs hired by NAMA management invaded my apartment at FAAN quarters. They damaged my property, ramsacked the entire house, stole huge sums of money, jewelries and other valuables.

    “From my assessment, the thugs stole from my house N2,500 Euros, $1,600 and N250,000  as well as my wife’s jewelry. They also stole some yet be be determined foreign currencies belonging to my son, who is an instructor at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria.

    ” I was in Abuja  when their operation took place, my wife and son were the people at home. The thugs knocked, they did not open the door for them, they then decided to break in.

    “When I arrived from Abuja,  I drove to the Domestic Police Station at Ikeja, to report the incident. I even called the Managing Director of NAMA, Anyasi, about what his people had done. But he did not  respond, I sent series of short messages  services ( SMS). I have written a petition to the Commissioner of Police, and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Zone 2, on this matter. I am still challenging this matter in court, and will not give up, no matter what NAMA management is up to, until the matter is resolved by the highest court in the land.

    “I have taken this step because the rulings of other courts on this matter are not satisfactory. One of the courts ruled that NAMA should pay my gratuity, but, as I speak to you, it has not done that,” Eze said.

    He said efforts by the Police to resolve the matter over the years have not yielded any positive result. “I am convinced the police are becoming interested party in this matter,” he said.

    He said his position was predicated on the way police officials handled the matter after he reported the incident. “The Police sent their officials to investigate the wanton destruction of the  house. But, I was surprised that the same police came up to say that NAMA had reported a matter against me,” he said.

    He went on: “But, what has become intriguing is that after I reported the matter to the police  and an investigative officer was assigned to ascertain my claims of property destruction, and stolen money and other valuables, two female police officers were assigned, they drove with me to the house to take photographs  on the activities of the thugs brought in by NAMA.

    “I was asked to report to the station next day only to be told that NAMA management had reported a case of assault and property damage against me. I was taken to a Magistrate Court in Agege and arraigned on a  four-count charge.

    “The judge granted me bail, but because I could not meet the conditions, they took me to Kirikiri, only to be released the next day. My position on this matter is clear: once the Supreme Court rules that I do not have a case, I am ready to vacate the apartment. But, any form of imtimidation by NAMA to evict me without a valid court notice will not see the light of the day.”

    On his part, the former General Manager, Administration, Alhaji Moshood Kolawole Jimoh, who left NAMA on February 6, 2015, has faulted the “illegality” exhibited by the agency.

    He was also arrested and arraigned along with Eze for assault of NAMA personnel and destruction of property.

    He said: “What NAMA  management has done is contrary to the position of government as it affects the sales of quarters to sitting civil servants as tenants. While in service, I was involved in this matter as clerk on behalf of NAMA in the programme monitored by the Presidential Implementation Committee on the sales of operational quarters. The PIC never supported what NAMA management has done. Many years ago, the PIC issued forms for expression of interest to some residents. They sent their officials and captured us, inspected the houses and we were  only waiting for the letter of award of bid to buy the houses. For NAMA management to throw up charges against us and the police colluding with them is unacceptable.”

    In a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Retired Civil Servants of Aviation Parastatals , in FAAN quarters otherwise known as Strabag Estate, have complained about threats by the heads of the aviation agencies: FAAN, NAMA and  NCAA) to evict them.

    The petition signed on their behalf by Catherine Ahuruchi, said plans to evict them are in total disregard of a pending suit and court injuction in the Federal Industrial Court, Lagos.

    The petition dated June 30, 2016 reads: “Commissioner, you may recall our earlier letters and discussions with you as legal sitting tenants at FAAN quarters. We have filed a suit against the agencies, which is pending in the Federal Industrial Court,  Lagos, over the refusal of some of the agencies to implement monetisation policy of government in residential quarters.

    “You may also wish to note that the  Justice of the Federal Industrial Court has since issued  injuction restraining the agencies and their agents from evicting or disturbing us in any form until substantive suit is determined. You will remember that FAAN, NAMA and  NCAA had been in the habit of issuing quit notices and harrassing our retired officers with threats of seizure of their retirement benefits until the then Commissioner of Police intervened

    “We will resist any attempt to evict any of our members illegally or without court order. We will resist any attack by thugs or hoodlums on us in self defence should they resort to use of force and this may lead to break down of law and order in the estate. Our prayer is that you prevail on the agencies not to take laws into their hands,” they said.

    A senior official of NAMA, who confided in The Nation said NAMA has taken steps to recover government property from retired personnel who are hanging on to legal technicalities.

  • Housing deficit: Lagos plans 187,000 houses yearly

    After identifying a shortfall of 2.5 million housing bunits in the state, the Lagos State Government is planning, in the next five years, to build a minimum of 187,000 housing units yearly.

    The Commissioner for Housing, Gbolahan Lawal, made this known during a courtesy visit to the office of the Acting Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Ahmed Bashir.

    According to Lawal, the state government will formulate policies that will not only quicken the process to achieve this, but which will also make it successful.

    “Governor Akinwumi Ambode has formulated people-oriented policies that will ensure the supply of 187,000 housing units yearly to address the state’s 2.5 million housing deficit over the next five years,” he said, adding that the Housing Ministry would model its affordable housing after the British social housing programme.

    The Commissioner disclosed that the state intends to explore the vertical style of building in order to make housing units available in the employment centres, especially for the lower and middle income earners, and address the shortage of skilled workers in the construction sector.

    “We also plan to address the dearth of skilled workers in the building industry such as masons, carpenters, steel fabricators, plumbers, electricians, painter, joiners, tillers among others, through the Master Craftsman Project,” he said.

    The Master Craftsman Project, he said, is aimed at encouraging the younger generation to embrace skills in construction, considering that the older artisans were gradually ageing without younger ones being trained to replace them.

    Bashir said the United Kingdom also had passion for training and was ready to assist the ministry in providing same for craftsmen in the state. He also called for more investment in housing for short stay in the state, especially for businessmen and tourists.

    “The Lagos State Government should make adequate provision for the people to come to Lagos and the country in general and stay briefly. This will guarantee their safety on their short stay in the country,” he said.

  • Lekki gridlock: Developer builds N30m road

    An estate developer, Mr Kennedy Okonkwo, has constructed a N30 million road in Lafiaji area of Lekki, Lagos State.

    Okonkwo, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Nedcomoaks Limited said the road was part of his contribution towards solving transportation problems in his immediate environment.

    Speaking at the inauguration of Victoria Crest Estate 1, built by his company, Okonkwo said: ‘’I built the road without the support of the community and government to solve transportation problems within the community.‘’

    He appealed to the government to provide land and other incentives for real estate developers to solve housing problems in Nigeria.

    His words: “The government needs to rise up to its responsibility to ensure that financing is made available to developers. Government needs to partner with notable and qualified developers to make sure that land is readily available for them to build affordable houses and also build infrastructure like roads. When people have more roads made available, developers can go to different areas in satellite towns and government will take accolades for it.

    “We have been able to create employment directly and indirectly for over 2,000 Nigerians in different areas. That constitutes most of our achievements. When people have employment, insecurity and crimes will reduce because people are employed. We have also been able to achieve developing communities because we have built roads and houses in many communities.

    “We can meet housing needs effectively when there is finance. When developers have financing, they can assist government in providing housing for many people in Nigeria. When government gives additional incentives to developers in terms of land, it will help developers to build more housing units for people in different parts of the country.”

  • ‘Civil servants to get homes from govt estate’

    Fresh  hope for civil servants, who want to own houses, appeared on the horizon last week as President Muhammadu Buhari kicked off the first estate project under the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Programme at Apo Tyafi District of the Federal Capital City, Abuja.

    The Federal Housing Authority Mortgage Bank (FHAMB), a subsidiary of the FHA, has been named mortgage banker to the scheme. The President was represented at the ceremony by the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Baba Shehuri.

    In a document obtained by The Nation, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, it was learnt,  expressed regret that a large proportion of civil servants, who did not benefit from the immediate past sale of government houses lived in slums and unplanned settlements because of their inability to own houses or rent decent accommodation in planned layouts.

    She said the FISH initiative was conceptualised to provide cost effective and affordable housing for various categories of workers as a way of uplifting their quality of life during and after service.

    Mrs. Oyo-Ita said the delivery of affordable housing under the programme was predicated on multi-sectoral support and cooperation, which include group land acquisition from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the states, provision of infrastructure and financial support through strategic partnership, cost effective pre-structural drawings and designs, as well as special intervention funds from the Federal Government using the expertise and skills of civil servants to supervise, develop and implement housing delivery.

    She said the FISH programme, operating under the umbrella of the Federal Integrated Staff Housing Cooperative Society, has forwarded applications for land to the FCTA and would be doing same to other states nationwide. “By that arrangement, the high cost of land acquisition and the difficulty in processing title deeds that added to the excessive cost of houses per unit at completion would be assuaged,” she stated.

    Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the OHCSF, FHAMB would be the custodian of the FISH programme with funds accessed by beneficiaries of the scheme through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) loan window. FHAMB will disburse funds to contractors and developers as approved by the FISH Project Committee and the FHA. It will also assess civil servants for mortgage facilities for houses and package mortgages for those qualified in all the states as well as collect loan repayment from beneficiaries. FHAMB will be the project financier through collaboration with the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company. FISH will be run by a 15-member committee headed by a Permanent  Secretary in the OHCSF, Mr. S. K. Y. Adelakun. It has seven other permanent secretaries as members as well as FHA’s Managing Director, Prof Mohammed Al-Amin and the FHAMB Acting Managing Director, Alhaji Hayyatudeen Atiku Awwal.

    FISH is expected to leverage on Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) to acquire group land allocations at reasonable cost to make the houses affordable. It will use the Public Private Partnership (PPP) window to build houses and harness the existing potentials of such partnerships to provide massive and affordable housing for Federal civil servants before and after retirement. FISH will also consolidate existing unutilised group land allocations to the cooperative societies of MDAs and related Federal civil servants associations into the Federal Integrated Staff Housing Cooperative Society Limited for the purpose of effective coordination and utilisation for optimal benefit of staff.

    The programme will provide land and infrastructure for proposed estates while the houses would be built in phases. Buyers are expected to provide 20 per cent equity of the cost of their houses, which shall be domiciled in FHAMB while the remaining 80 per cent shall be financed through mortgage. The monthly repayment by beneficiaries shall either be remitted to FHAMB through its correspondent banks monthly or have their salary accounts domiciled in FHAMB.

  • Firm rates Lagos as most expensive African City in 2016

    Firm rates Lagos as most expensive African City in 2016

    •Projects increase in malls development

    Irrespective of drop in rents and increasing number of vacant houses, Lagos has been rated as the most expensive city in 2016 in the entire African continent.

    In the latest report published by a real estate firm, Savills, the firm noted that “Lagos has seen both a downward movement in office rent at -20 per cent and the effect of currency devaluation by the government -30 per cent. The amplification effect here significantly improves the city’s affordability for dollar-denominated companies.” This affirms that the impact of economic meltdown engendered by foreign exchange scarcity and drop in global oil revenue has also affected the real estate sector.

    The report further submitted that despite remaining one of the most expensive cities in the world, decline in Lagos rents implies that the city now “looks 27 per cent more affordable for international occupiers.”

    Yolande Barnes, director, Savills World Research, said: “Office-based businesses operating in major cities will spend one-third of their total operating costs on accommodation through a combination of commercial rents, paid directly to landlords, and demands on salaries created by the cost of employees’ living accommodation. Fluctuations in these costs will therefore have a significant bearing on how competitive a city is to employers.”

    The Savills “live-work index”, which measures the yearly per person cost of renting and occupying home and office per employee and their household) in 12 world cities, also noted that London, which has maintained the position of the most expensive city in the world for the past two and the half years, was overtaken by the city of New York. This is believed to be an effect of the referendum that saw the United Kingdom (UK) vote to leave the European Union. Since the referendum, prices of properties in the UK have been on the downward slope with little signs of recovery.

    In a similar development, the seeming retail revolution in some countries in Africa, particularly Nigeria, has not gone unnoticed. Going by a report from Sagaci Research, a market intelligence firm dedicated to African markets, by 2018, 223 new shopping centres are expected to be opened on the African continent.

    A breakdown of this shows that Nigeria only trails Egypt in the pecking order of mall development. While the country is predicted to have an additional 25 malls built by the period in study, the North African country of Egypt will have 40; Kenya is 20; 15 in Ghana, 14 in Angola and 13 in Morocco. By 2018, the firm predicts that the total surface area of malls would reach 10 million square metres.

    The latest “Shop Africa 2016” report ranked Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, as the leading shopping mall developer in sub-Saharan Africa. Knight Frank, a real estate consultancy firm, however rated Nigeria third, while Angola was second, followed by Tanzania and Mozambique. Nigeria has over 100,000 square meters of leasable area in modern format shopping centers and will be adding another 180,000 square meters of retail space this year, Nairobi alone has a mall space of 391,000 square metres.

    Yet, another research firm, Real Estate Information Centre, powered by Pison Housing Company, in its report, listed Africa’s top five cities as Luanda in Angola, which is second, Lagos, has the third largest mall pipeline, and then Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and finally Maputo in Mozambique completing the top five hotspots for mall space development in sub-Saharan Africa. The report said that these five cities were large, fast growing in economies, seen rapid expansion and being targeted by investors in Africa. Currently, Lagos and Abuja have about 10 commercial and office complexes, totaling over N100 billion, that are due for completion this year. Ongoing projects scheduled for delivery in 2016 are Madina Tower, The Wings Tower, Eden Heights, Alliance Place, Heritage Place, all in Lagos, while in Abuja it is the World Trade Centre.