The Nation Newspaper

Category: Building & Properties

  • ‘Our environment is safe from pollution’

    The Ogun State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Bolaji Oyeleye, has urged residents not to worry about environmental pollution from industrial waste. He spoke with The Nation at  2016 Ogun Investor’s Forum in Abeokuta.

    According to Oyeleye, the state has in place relevant agencies that are saddled with the responsibilities of taking care of the environment, and also monitoring of companies operating in the state.

    “We have an agency known as the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA) which has the responsibility of making sure that environmental standards are adhered to  in terms of emission, waste management  and the operations of these companies. So, we are very much committed in that respect and we are doing what we are supposed to do in terms of monitoring the activities of these companies,” he explained.

    One of the set standards for companies borders on regulation of industrial emission and effluent. For instance, the Commissioner disclosed that his ministry go against companies that do not have waste treatment plants (WTP). This is to ensure that set standards that ought to be followed before discharging effluents into the environment. Companies that have not provided these facilities within their business premises, he explained, are being encouraged to do so.

    Besides, at the onset, when industries come to set up their industries in the state, Oyeleye explained, they were requested to put up road furniture which includes trees and light in their areas of operations.

    The Commissioner admitted that alongside industrialisation comes the challenge to preserve nature. This, he said, is why the state encourages and participate actively in the establishment of parks in the state and also encourage people to plant trees. He said that there is a lot of advocacy going into tree planting in the state to ensure that the ecosystem is well preserved.

    “Basically, people will be encouraged to replace and replenish some the trees that will have to go to make way for the industries and development generally. This is why on daily basis people are enlightened on the need to encourage and ensure greenery around them,” Oyeleye explained.

    He said the state is compliant to the COP 21 programme- a global programme on climate change, because issues of environment are very much encouraged even at the highest level of governance in the state. This explains why the state had a delegation led by the governor, Ibikunle Amosun, to the COP21 programme in France last year.

    At the event, he said, the state was able to promote one of her programmes which centers on reforestation of 180,000 hectares of land in the state.

  • 10 countries, 200 firms for Abuja Housing Show

    10 countries, 200 firms for Abuja Housing Show

    Ten countries, 20 organi-sations and 200 indigenous companies will attend the Abuja Housing Show between July 18 and 20.

    The event, themed: “Expanding Access to Affordable Housing in Africa”, will be declared open by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo. The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola would be the Chief Host, while the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Muhammad Bello, would be the Guest of Honour.

    Eminent speakers from Spain, South Africa, the United States (US), The Gambia and Nigeria have been carefully selected to deliver lectures on diverse topics. They include: the Managing Director of Hydraform from South Africa, Mr Robert Plattner; Managing Director of Global Green Built from Spain, Mr Alejandro Pons; the Managing Director, TAF Homes, The Gambia, Mr Mustapha NJIE; Managing Director of UPDC, Mr. Hakeem Ogunniran; the Chief Executive Officer, Aggregates and Concretes, Lafarge Africa, Mr. Loren Zanin; Prof. Mustapha Zubairu of Federal University of Technology, Minna, and the Managing Director, Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company, Prof. Charles Inyangete.

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FESADEB Communications, Mr. Festus Adebayo, said the forum will provide opportunity for mortgage banks, developers, building material producers and professionals in the building industry to showcase their products and services, exchange ideas and share innovations in the industry.

    At the end of the event, he said, there will be lottery and award dinner to mark the 10th anniversary of the show. The lottery winner, which would be determined through a raffle draw, would smile home with a plot of land.

  • Ogun 160-unit workers’ estate ready

    The Ogun State government has completed 160 units of two- and three-bedroom detached and semi-detached bungalows for its employees.

    The wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari, inaugurated the Phase 1 of the estate named after the state’s first Head of Service, Chief Adedotun Adedeji Kayode Degun (AAK Degun MITROS Estate).

    Hajia Buhari lauded the state government for the estate located in Laderin, Abeokuta.

    Represented by the Minister for Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Hajia Buhari praised the vision of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration in providing standard housing for civil servants, urging workers to continue to support the mission to rebuild the state.

    She said the estate was a remarkable achievement for the administration, noting that the initiative would have a  great impact on the socio-economic development of the state.

    Amosun said the estate would reduce the hardship civil servants face to have a home of their own, adding that it would avail them the opportunity to access decent homes at affordable cost.

    He added that the project was in partial fulfillment of his mandate on home ownership, which seeks to deliver fully serviced homes to  its workforce.

    Amosun said the houses, which are fully serviced, have been subsidised, explaining that the first phase comprised 68 units of 2-bedroom semi-detached flats and 92 units of 3-bedroom semi-detached.

    Also speaking, the Special Adviser on Housing Development and General Manager of Ogun State Housing Corporation Mrs. Jumoke Akinwunmi appreciated those that contributed to the success of the estate, adding that 30 per cent of the project had been subsidised by Ogun State Government. All the housing units are ready with modern and the facilities.

    Akinwunmi, an architect, noted that the achievement was an affirmation that the corporation could build houses that would be affordable for the civil servants.

    Four former Heads of Service in the State, Chief Babatunde Osokoya, Mr. Godwin Ogun, Princess Iyabo Odulate-Yusuf and Mrs. Modupe Adekunle who also witnessed the commissioning, commended the efforts of the State Government on its home ownership scheme.

    The heads of service in their separate remarks, lauded the State Governments achievements in providing affordable housing and urban development, while the current Head of Service, Elder Sola Adeyemi applauded Government for the gesture.

  • FHA, FMBN partner for better housing delivery

    FHA, FMBN partner for better housing delivery

    The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) are to work together to boost housing delivery.

    Following a meeting in Abuja, they agreed to explore the possibility of using the National Housing Fund (NHF) being administered by FMBN to create mortgage for subscribers to FHA houses in the country’s six geopolitical zones.

    FHA Managing Director Prof Mohammed Al-Amin and FMBN Acting Managing Director Mr Richard Esin met in Abuja last month  at the instance of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

    A statement issued at the end of the meeting, said FHA and FMBN acknowledged that as major players in the housing equation,  they have roles to play in driving the new initiative. The agencies said it was imperative for them to build sustained synergy and collaboration in playing their roles under the new national housing progamme.

    Al-Amin spoke of regulatory challenges, promising that stakeholders would make efforts to overcome them. An enabling environment is to be created to encourage foreign investors to participate in the development of new towns around the country. A joint committee of FHA and FMBN officials will drive the process.

    The committee will also consider the viability of the Northeast Intervention Housing Programme proposed by FHA and forward its recommendations to Al-Amin and Esin respectively.

    Also included in the committee’s task is the exploration of areas for further assistance by FMBN to FHA Mortgage Bank Limited- a subsidiary of FHA, to enable it participate in the integrated housing scheme.

    Both Al-Amin and Esin commended President Muhammadu Buhari for initiating the one million housing units per year programme. They expressed optimism that the programme, if diligently implemented, would facilitate the recovery of the economy, frontally tackle the nation’s housing deficit, create employment for the youths and improve the economic well-being of the people.

    For stakeholders in the industry, the collaboration of the two agencies saddled with housing provision is a welcome development. This is because for several years, the expected synergy has not existed between both organisations, which according to observers, is partly responsible for the huge gap in the nation’s housing requirement.

    The two chief executives decided that their meetings would hold regularly “in order to strengthen their collaboration towards improved housing delivery in the country”, the statement read.

    To strengthen this development, the FMBN will also collaborate with the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Corporation (NMRC) towards strengthening the secondary mortgage market of the industry. This is part of the refocusing of the apex mortgage banker’s business model aimed at addressing the lower end of the income ladder, which aims at the mass market for housing delivery.

    Esin, while welcoming the NMRC Chief Executive, Professor Charles Inyangete, to his office, said the aim would be achieved by taking advantage of the concessionary (below-market) mortgage loan terms under the National Housing Fund (NHF) Scheme being managed by the Bank.

    Inyangete observed that while both firms serve different market segments, the challenges faced are common to the Nigerian Housing/Mortgage sector. This, he noted, requires both institutions adopting a collaborative and complementary approach to addressing such issues. He, therefore, expressed hope of more positive interaction and the need for synergy between the institutions, which are set up to address various income segments of the Nigerian mortgage market.

    Areas for a common synergy identified by both parties include the review of land and property registry practices for time and cost-effectiveness; the enactment of a foreclosure law to mitigate mortgage lending risks; the introduction of industry-wide uniform underwriting standards and the development of a data collection system for the Nigerian mortgage market. A committee is to be set up to further explore and deepen the new relationship in line with the identified areas of collaboration.

  • Ooni calls for ‘house manufacturing’

    How can the housing gap be addressed? It is by manu-facturing rather than building houses, says the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunnusi, Ojaja II.

    The Ooni was speaking at the launch of the second edition of “The state of Lagos Housing Market Report 2016’ compiled by Roland Igbinobia Real Foundation for Housing and Urban Development (RIRFHUD).

    Calling for the compilation of an information bank in the real estate sector, he said such data would make a positive impact on the industry, and help in turning around some strategic slums in Lagos and other states.

    “We need to all come together if we are going to work towards manufacturing homes because in Nigeria, we haven’t started manufacturing homes. What we are doing is building homes. The day we start to manufacture homes in this country, then we are serious,” he said.

    To achieve this, the Ooni, with vast interest in real estate, said there is a need for all corporate organisations, both in the financial services sector and the mortgage arm of the real estate, to invest in the sector. This, he noted, will position the industry players to be able to influence a lot of government policies in the overall interest of the sector.

    Chairman of the Foundation, Mr. Newton Jibunoh, noted that the publication of the book has given support to a fledgling sector of the economy. He explained that the need for shelter is as dynamic and universal as it gets recurring for as long as the people strive and regenerate.

    “By the year 2050, it is projected that Nigeria’s population will come to about 398million with urban population rising to 74.1 per cent. This projection emphasises one cardinal fact- shelter will continue to be in demand and Nigeria’s housing need challenges will prove to be a continual problem if not strategically addressed,” he said.

    While recommending the use of the report to industry stakeholders and other players, he pointed out that the report will fill the curious mind’s quest for knowledge and recruit measures that will see players in the sector reap dividends for their investment.

  • Ki-Moon: Let’s take climate change to next level

    Ki-Moon: Let’s take climate change to next level

    •175 countries sign Paris Agreement 

    United Nations Secretary –General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon has urged member-nations to take steps to actualise their commitments to climate change, saying, “it is time to take climate action to the next level”.

    Ki-Moon spoke following the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate change, by 175 countries,  last week at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

    “We need to accelerate the speed, scope and scale of our response, locally and globally,” Mr. Ki-Moon told participants at the Climate Action Summit 2016 in Washington D.C. It was a two-day meeting aimed at strengthening the multi-stakeholder approach to climate implementation.

    “It was to deepen and expand the coalitions of government, business, finance, philanthropy, civil  society and academic leaders launched at the Secretary-General’s Climate Summit 2014 in New York.

    “I have been looking forward to this event because it is about solutions – innovation and imagination; collaboration and partnerships between the public and private sectors. Today, as never before, the stars are aligning in favour of climate action. Everywhere I look, I see signs of hope,” he said.

    The summit focused on six high-value areas of multi-stakeholder partnership: sustainable energy; sustainable land-use; cities; transport; and tools for decision-making. The UN chief emphasised that strong partnership would be needed at all levels to tackle those challenges.

    “No sector of society and no nation can succeed alone. I encourage you to collaborate, innovate and invest. Together we can build the world we want,” he said.

    The signing of the Paris Agreement on April 22 received overwhelming support from all regions of the world; never before had so many countries signed an international accord in one day.

    Adopted in Paris by the 196 Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at a conference known COP 21 last December, the Agreement’s objective is to limit global temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius, and to strive for 1.5 degrees Celsius. It will come into force 30 days after at least 55 countries, accounting for 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, deposit their instruments of ratification.

    “Two of the world’s largest emitters – China and the United States – have pledged their continued commitment and collaboration,” Ki-Moon had stressed, noting that leaders must turn the “promise of Paris” into action and implementation as soon as possible.

    The UN chief also announced that in September, on the margins of the G20 meeting, he intends to co-convene a meeting in China similar to this one to further solidify coalitions.

    Also speaking at the event, the President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim said there is no time to waste. “Political agreements are critical, but they are just the beginning. We must regain the sense of urgency we all felt on the eve of COP21. Inaction means we will not meet our targets set in Paris, and the global temperature will soar above 2 degrees Celsius. That would spell disaster for us, for our children, and for the planet,” he warned.

    Kim highlighted the World Bank Group’s Climate Action Plan, developed soon after the Paris agreement, which aims to increase its support in a range of areas – from water to crowded cities and from forests to agriculture.

    “One part of our plan is to help countries put a price on carbon, which will create incentives for investments in renewable energy and in energy efficiency,” he explained. He added: “In many parts of the world, we have seen the price of renewables like solar and wind falling fast – so fast that they are now competitive with fossil fuels. Private sector investments are pouring in. But we need to expand these breakthroughs and help countries establish the right policies that will drive down the cost of renewable energy even further.”

  • Become house owners in top class residential estates

    Become house owners in top class residential estates

    Don’t you think it’s time to get your home and property?

    Everybody needs a home, we all do! It’s a basic necessity of life. For a lot of people, there’s an emotional attachment to owning a home and the picture of the kind of house it’ll be. A recent survey of over 100 real estate experts and investment and market strategists expected home prices to rise in the next five years. Why not make a move now and chart a new course for your life and that of your dependants.

    At VINEREALTORS, we are committed to making your dream of becoming a house owner a reality.

    Act faster now and stop procrastinating.

    Here are some of the products from VINEREALTORS stable:

     

    Cassavilla Estate

    Casavilla Estate is a carefully planned green estate located in Magboro area of Ogun State.

    The estate has 27 plots of land dedicated for green areas with parks, lawn tennis and basketball courts.

    It was conceived with comfort, class and ambiance in mind and has connecting walkways and road.

    Its proximity to the Mountain of Fire Ministry (MFM) camp is another plus for this burgeoning estate.

    Cassavilla Estate is just 15 minutes drive from the Central Business District in Alausa ikeja, Lagos and five-minute drive from Akute in Ogun State.

    At Cassavilla, a three- bedroom semi-detached bungalow goes for just N6.5m with a payment plan that spans over four years.

    Its features are:

    Ample green area with parks and recreation centers

    Good road network

    Secure fenced and gated estate,

    and Street lights.

     

    Cherry Wood Courts

    This is an exquisite residential estate located in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos.

    Cherry Wood Courts is just seven minutes drive from the Lekki Free Trade Zone

    It has a land size of 648 square metre.

     

    Hampton Courts

    Hampton Courts is located in Onosa Town, Ibeju Lekki.

    Onosa Town is just 15 minutes drive from Ajah.

    Like Cherry Wood Courts, Hampton has land size of 684 square metre.

    At Hampton, a plot of land goes for N1.5 million, while half plot costs N850, 000.

    Hampton Courts is a top class residential estate and has features that compare with some of the best in the land.

     

    City Point Gardens

    City Point Gardens is another product from Vine Realtors vast reservoir of top class estates.

    City Point is located in Okun Folu Community and is just three minutes drive from La Capagne Tropicana.

    It has a land size of 600 square metre

    A plot of land costs N1.2 million at City Point Gardens.

  • Architects consider high density, vertical buildings for Lagos

    Nigerian architects have been urged to position themselves to address the nation’s challenge.

    Former President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), gave the  charge at the just-concluded Lagos Architects’ Forum (LAF 7.0), with the  theme: Evolving architecture. The yearly forum was organised by the state chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA).

    “Architects should provide complete building solutions not just drawings; architecture is much more than designing buildings and then walking away,” he said, even as he charged the Lagos State government to appoint an architect from the public sector to oversee construction processes in the state.

    To this end, architects, under the aegis of their professional body, are calling for an urgent need to create parameters for high density, vertical buildings and establishment of safety factors for development of same in the state. This, they believe, has become expedient given the geographical landscape of the state, which has made land for building a scarce commodity. Such initiative, they agreed, would help in the management and usage of land in the state, as well as reducing the activities of quacks who take advantage of the scarce resource and endanger peoples’ lives.

    Besides, they observed that for the Lagos metropolis to undergo a rapid and dynamic transformation, especially in its quest to be a megacity, there is an urgent need to rethink its real estate development plans by encouraging investment in high density high-rise buildings.

    The President, NIA, Mr. Tonye Braide, while agreeing with Agbakoba’s submissions, revealed that there is a need for indigenous architects to reengineer their approach to the practice of their profession, if they hope to remain relevant locally and internationally.

    Braide observed that there is a global change from the conception of urban space to the treatment of interior details. Besides, with new technologies, which improve environmental comfort and conserve energy, and construction materials, which greatly improve cost, including very low maintenance indices, an architect has to be on his toes always.

    “The demand for architects in the coming years will be enormous. Beyond this will be the demand for specialisations, which will provide a quality assurance programme, better buildings and better cities. We have no option but to institute change and catch up with the world before the world leaves us far behind. We have to act and act fast. We cannot be acclaimed leaders of the building industry and remain totally out of tune with the modern concept of design,” the NIA boss said.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Mr. Bayo Dipe, who represented the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode at the forum, said in line with the state’s policy on wealth creation, the government planned to work with all the relevant building professionals to improve the construction industry. He assured that indigenous professionals will be fully involved in the construction of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge.

    The Chairman, Lagos Chapter, NIA, Mr. Ladipo Lewis, expressed confidence that the economic activities generated by the state could be harnessed to create better quality buildings, which will lead to a reversal from the losses that usually arise from the development of substandard structures.

    The President, Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Alhaji Umaru Aliyu, regretted that the construction industry remained the most bastardised sector, challenging government at all levels to revamp the sector.

  • Nigerite unveils ‘Kalsi Craft’, shines at forum

    Nigerite unveils ‘Kalsi Craft’, shines at forum

    Nigerite Limited has introduced another product into the market. The product, Kalsi craft, the latest addition to the company’s range of dry construction solution products, was unveiled at the just-concluded Lagos Architects’ Forum.

    Nigerite’s product application architect Mr. Jesse Onovre said though Kalsi Craft is a ceiling board, it could be used as a 3D wall partitioning.

    “The product is a way to make the market more dynamic in addition to some of the ceiling boards that we already have. It is called Kalsi craft. It can be used in different colours but it doesn’t come painted or pre-textured, you are at liberty to texture or paint it to your taste,” he said, adding that Kalsi products have some advantages over traditional masonry construction.

    He further said the product was designed to cater for those that require affordable building construction materials without compromising on quality, especially  because it is affordable; not for the high-end market although it can conveniently fit into that segment.

    Some of its products on display at forum included Alurr-shingles, Siniat-plaster board, light gauge steels truss systems, dry wall integrated building solutions.

    Others were Crowntile for roof covering; Ultra span steel profile for roof truss, Kalsi parts for external and internal walls, Kalsi Ceil for internal ceiling and Fascia Board.

    Onovre noted that investment in dry construction should be encouraged because of it reduces construction timeframe when using the brick and mortar technology.

  • Grenadines Homes launches Phase 2 of apartments

    Grenadines Homes, an arm of the Palton Morgan Group, has launched the second phase of its three-bedroom apartments. The project is strategically located five minutes away from the Lagos Business School (LBS), and a walking distance from the new Lekki Mall.

    Its Marketing Manager, Ms. Francisca Dyegh, said the launch  demonstrates Grenadines Homes’ desire to join hands with the government in bridging the housing deficit in the country.

    Dyegh said the apartments offer the most opulent living experiences in its neighbourhood, as the bedrooms are en suite and with fully finished kitchens.

    Other features, she noted, include recreational facilities, such as swimming pool, gym, 24-hour security, underground cable, children play ground, green area, tennis court and paved road network, amongst others.

    “The beautiful thing about this estate is that it is built for a vibrant and diverse community that values cosmopolitan living. Its close proximity to some of the Lagos business hubs like the iconic learning institution; The Lagos Business School and the new Lekki mall, makes it an ideal home for the discerning mind,” she said.

    The firm has also made payment flexible plans of between 12 and 18 months for intending subscribers to the scheme. For instance, outright payment for an apartment is N21.2 million, while instalmental payment is N25. 95 million, including and initial deposit of  N2.59 million.