The Nation Newspaper

Category: Building & Properties

  • Master plan alien to most cities

    The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has said most cities  do not have a master plan while those that have are yet to take steps to implement them.

    President of the institute, Lekwa Ezutah, made this known in Abuja at a media chat.

    He maintained that “only Abuja and Owerri have comprehensive master plans that have been fully implemented while some cities have master plan, but was neither been implemented nor reviewed.

    Ezutah also lamented the inability of the Federal Government to implement the requirements of the Urban and Regional Planning Law and regretted that since 1992, the law that provides for an Urban and Regional Planning Commission at the Federal level, planning boards at the state level and planning authorities at the local government has not been implemented in the last 27 years.

    He said: “This is why the focus of the institute under my leadership is creating awareness to policy makers and the public on the importance of town planning at all levels to ensure that professionals are engaged at all levels to reduce the cases of building collapse and irregular physical planning.”

    The NITP president further reiterated the institute’s commitment in ensuring that development control takes center stage in Nigeria, lamenting that it has been lacking in the country for so many years.

  • AEPB urges residents to curb waste littering

    Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has urged residents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to get waste bins and sizeable polythene bags to support the efforts at curtailing littering of wastes on streets.

    The AEPB Head of Information and Outreach Unit, Mallam Muktar Ibrahim, gave the advice in an interview. He urged residents to replace their damaged bins with new ones, adding that residents who had no bins should buy sizeable polythene bags to curtail littering waste on the street.

    He recalled that AEPB had on February 13  held Waste Bin Enforcement Stakeholders’ meeting to sensitise residents on the need to replace the damaged bins.

    According to him, this has become personal responsibility of residents.

    Initially, it used to be government responsibility because in the past, bins were freely distributed to residents, especially when AEPB started its operations in Abuja.

    Furthermore, he stressed that some residents are still expecting this to be the case, but unfortunately “it has reached a situation where government can no longer buy as many bins based on the number of people in Abuja”.  He argued that it is an individual responsibility for residents to get functional waste bins and ensure replacement of those bins when the old ones are damaged.

    He said AEPB would have contracted a relevant company to supply the waste bins for residents, but the board was facing the challenge of not paying waste service charges enjoyed by residents.

    He said: “In our talks, we have actually played with the idea of supplying and deducting from the waste bins but then it becomes a difficult thing because people are not even prepared to pay waste service charges. This one is not like a levy; it is payment for waste service already enjoyed. So, we are having a problem with that. We also advise that they can buy sizeable polythene bags and use it to pack waste in interim.’’

    According to him, AEPB has also located roll-on bins in some strategic places in Abuja to curtail the incidence of littering waste on the street.

  • $165m Blue Water Estate berths in Lagos

    A Real estate firm Elalan Group and a leading pan-African investment firm with investments worth over $1 billion, African Capital Alliance, have formed a partnership to  deliver top-notch contemporary apartments in Lekki, Lagos.

    Located in the heart of Lekki Phase 1, Blue Water Lagos offers easy access to Victoria Island, Ikoyi District, Banana Island and other parts of Lekki within five-15 minutes drive.

    Sitting on an expansive 37,000- square meter sea view land and beautifully crafted with quality and comfort  embedded in its design, the estate is worth $165 million with the first phase costing $25 million, the Group stated.

    Blue Water is a contemporary mixed-use development comprising five, 17 and 20-storey residential buildings of one, two and three-bedroom apartments being offered for sale off-plan Phase I.

    The Phase 1 plan dubbed Saphire apartments have 124 apartments consisting of one, two, three apartments which will be followed by duplexes and four bedroom flats.

    The estate is developed by the Elalan Group and African Capital Alliance, master planned and designed by Ngonyama Okpanum & Associates, a recipient of numerous design wards. The quantity surveyors are FOAB & Associates

    The project, according to Elalan Development Manager, Kenneth Leech, would redefine living in Lagos by offering affordable apartments with top-notch amenities, which include leisure, entertainment and recreational facilities that promote social interaction and encourage passive recreation.

    The amenities include leisure, entertainment and recreational facilities that encourage social interaction and passive recreation and commercial spaces offer top brands the opportunity to provide quality services for the residents.

    Leech added that over 700 cosmopolitan residences with pent houses would be offered within the Blue Water’s artfully imagined lifestyle concept.  He stated that there would be a large shopping entertainment mall in the other phases. A recreation park, landscape gardens, children play areas, tennis court, and basket ball.

    According to him, the idea is to create a secure community where those who desire it can live, play and recreate.

    He said:  “Blue Water by the end of this month, when the first flats will be delivered to its subscribers, will become the gathering place for global citizens, from local insiders to the most seasoned world travellers. We will create a new urban autonomy that will change not only how Lagos looks, but also how the world looks at Lagos.”

    On the iconic development in the estate, Leech said it include restaurants, shopping, entertainment and leisure facilities located within walking distance with innovative designs of energy and water efficient systems, fire alarm and sprinkler protection, high speed broadband service and secured ventilated underground parking

    On the completion date, he said  the project started two years ago. He was optimistic that the projet, whih started two years, would be completed in five years.

    According to him, the clients’ response to the scheme had been very good and that it has sold beyond the group’s market projection.

    Capital Alliance Nigeria Limited Head of Real Estate, Mr. Obi Nwogugu said over 35 per cent payment of the apartments had been made.

    On payment plans, he said they had provided an easy plan with 20 per cent down payment and subsequent quarterly payments over the construction period and before December 31, this year.

    He added that legal/administrative fees for the one bedroom, two bedrooms and three bedroom cost N400,000.

  • Firm to provide one million houses

    An investment firm, Lifepage Group, is to build one million houses by 2041, translating to 40,000 houses yearly.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Oladipupo Clement, explained that the initiative would take care of the supply and demand of the market.

    According to him, the programme, to be launched in the second quarter, will be the first of its kind in the country as it will make the sector a major contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    Besides, he is convinced that the initiative will provide a long-term funding for housing development, leading ultimately to cheaper funds for the growth of the real estate sector.

    “We have a goal to provide one million houses by 2041. It will start with the launch of a housing investment fund, and we are giving it everything because we believe it will have a huge impact. By the time we break that down on yearly basis, it will be well over 40, 000. It will take care of both the supply and demand end,” he said.

    He explained that when housing issues were resolved and taken out of the concerns of any household, other things are easy to manage. He said many rich people do not really need houses but those at the bottom, making the deficit to be heavy.

    This, he further said, accounts for why there are several vacant houses in highbrow areas like Ikoyi, Asokoro, amongst others.

    Besides, Lifepage has introduced a scheme called “boot camps” targeted at training people on real estate potential, and to demonstrate that the real estate could offer better opportunities if well planned.

    At the moment, the firm has completed some urban regeneration schemes, with a landmark project called the Millennium Estate in Gbagada, Lagos State. It comprises Zeder Pavillion and terrace apartments, and is being developed in line with the urban renewal programme of the Lagos state government.

    The Millennium Estate comprises affordable luxury apartments of 12 units with four blocks, three in each block as well as eight units premium plots.

    “The urban regeneration option is geared to meet the middle class in environment with existing infrastructures rather than going to new areas with infrastructural challenges. The premium plots come with four bedroom duplex and studio apartments to accommodate the bigger class,” Clement explained.

    In its seventh year, Lifepage has invested in large expanse of estates in Lagos, Ogun, Rivers states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT). These include over 60 acres of land in FCT, over 100 acres in Lagos, over 400 acres in Ogun State and over 30 acres of land in River State.

    The Lifepage boss, however, lamented “the unstructured real estate environment’’, saying it is no affecting investment.

    Notwithstanding, the potential in the sector remains untapped, a situation, he said, calls for its re-organisation to enable it add more value to the economy.

    Hear him: “The sector is plagued with several challenges, which include lack of funding and infrastructure, which has made the deficit coming more from the base of the pyramid rather than from the top of the pyramid. The government should provide the infrastructure and cheap funds, while developers can come in with creative ways.”

    Clement added that the odds were against real estate developers because more often than not, they had to provide infrastructure, such as roads, water, electricity, to their estates, and yet, still try to build affordable houses.

  • ‘Avoid demolishing houses’

    A non-gOVERNAMENTAL  Organisation (NGO) Nigeria Slum/Informal Settlements Federation and some civil society groups have urged politicians to provide shelter for the electorate instead of demolishing their houses.

    At a conference in Lagos,the founder, Rethinking Cities, Deji Akinpelu, said people were sceptical on who to vote for, beacuse politicians  always demolish houses after election.

    He said policies and actions of the Lagos State government indicated a  different approach to the welfare of the people.

    He said the demolition mostly affected the poor who often find it difficult to get new accommodation, urging politicians to reframe from acts that multiply the pains of the ordinary people.

    Akinpelu said: “They demolish houses under the guise of urban renewal, slum cleaning and demolition of illegal structures. They forcefully evicted people from their informal work places, market places and mechanic villages.

    “This has continued to render many people unemployed, today many families are hopeless and do not know how to survive the harsh economic realities. Their lands have been taken over by land grabbers, using the state as cover.

    “Worried by this spate of relentless attacks on work places and communities, the coalition of civil society organisations have decided to come together for the purpose of engaging political office holders, aspiring political office holders on the need to halt the continued force eviction of the citizens.”

    He said the government must respect the right of poor living, noting it was unfair of them to elected only to turn around and render them homeless and jobless.

    “We are ready to cooperate with incoming government to realise a Lagos that answers to the yearnings of her citizens, but will be ready to oppose government policies that undermine the right to decent shelter.”

  • New adhesive stamp vital to surveying, say valuers

    Key stakeholders played a key role in the new stamp  unveiled to enhance professionalism in the sector, the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) Sir Nweke Umezurike has said.

    He said the measures were geared towards catching up with the global trend.

    He recalled the excitement that greeted the introduction of adhesive stamp in valuation reports, especially by banks, other financial institutions and corporate bodies.

    He added that this enthusiasm spurred the association to introduce the adhesive stamp.

    Umezurike spoke when he met officials of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) and  one of the oldest real estate firm, Knight Frank in Lagos.

    Umezurike explained that the new stamp is personalised with the practitioner’s name and seal or registration number and easier to use with security features to avoid cloning and counterfeiting.

    He said It became operational from  January 1, this year, and wousld be used simultaneously with the old stamp until June ending, when the the old stamp would be phased out, he added.

    On how to confirm the authenticity of the stamp the ESAVARBON chief said the new stamp is bright blue and aesthetically pleasing.  On the documents that must carry the stamp, he said they are  are valuation/appraisal reports-individuals and private sector organisations; letter of offer; arbitration, mediation and independent experts awards; project management, agreement and reports. Others are property and facilities management control and agreement; auction agreement and notices; agency agreements for sales and letting, and compensation indemnity certificates.

    Sir Nweke said as a regulator, the tour was necessary to intimate organisations and other key stakeholders on efforts to ensure that practitioners deliver standard services to clients.

    Umezuruike said the stamp would better regulation/control in the practice of the profession; establish a regulatory compliance and enforcement unit and the introduce the valuation standards otherwise called, ‘The Green Book’.

    According to the chairman,  the document is aimed at ensuring consistent high standards, stressing that it’s a product of local and international collaborations with key stakeholders in the profession.

    On the reason for its continued value enhancement, he said: “The reason for the improvement in the form and application of the adhesive stamps to its varied uses is to enhance better regulation. The stamp has become operational from January 2019 and will be used simultaneously with the old adhesive stamps until the end of June, when the use of the old stamp will be discounted”.

    According to him ESVARBON is determined to fulfill it’s mandate as provided in Section 2 of it’s enabling Act and no stone shall be left unturned in achieving the mandate. We seek the cooperation and collaboration of your council in ensuring that we have regular feedbacks and valuable inputs into our regulatory works”, he added.

    Addressing the team at the Knight Frank real estate firm in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, Albert Orizu, said the introduction of the stamp and other initiatives were notable efforts that would boost standards and international competitiveness.

    He commended the board for reducing the cost of the stamp, saying it would be easy for members to buy.

    The firm, however, raised concerns over non-uniformity of scale of professional fees and tasked the board to review the system.

    While receiving ESVARBON members, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) President/Chairman of Council, Mr. Uche Olowu, stressed that professionals in the economy must make it work because the nation remains the next frontier for rapid economic development in Africa.

    According to him, the adhesive stamp speaks volume to commitment to quality service, stressing that standard is key for people.

    Olowu said CIBN is the appropriate channel to reach bankers and expressed its readiness to work with ESVARBON to fulfill its mandate.

    “On our part, we have three core mandates, which include regulating the standard of those seeking to do banking, capacity building for members and advocacy. We set up committee of practice to make sure that knowledge is passed on to the young ones,” he stated.

    Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) President, Rasak Jaiyeola said estate surveyors and valuers are critical to growth.

    He lauded the association for standardising the profession.

    Jaiyeola charged them to provide a platform for accountants, where they could learn the use of the Green Book as well as advise them to consider a review of scale of professional fee charges to encourage patronage from the government.

    During a visit to the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), its Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Daniel Asapokhai,  lauded the board for attaining membership of the International Valuation Standard Council (IVSC), a global standard-setting board for valuation practices.

    On the green book, he admonished ESVARBON to ensure that practitioners practise the rules in the document and urge those who want to do valuation for financial specialise to register with the FRCN.

  • Fed Govt, Dangote flag off Ofeme community road reconstruction

    Succour may soon come to  Ofeme Community in Abia State as the Federal Government and Dangote Industries Limited have kicked off the reconstruction of the roads and bridges in the community.

    The reconstruction will be handled by AG-Dangote, a subsidiary of Dangote Industries.

    The project is covered under Executive Order #7 of 2019, titled: ‘’Road infrastructure development and refurbishment investment tax credit scheme’’.

    “Participating investors will use tax credits to reduce corporate taxes payable to government until they recoup the value of their investments in roads and bridges.”

    President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, extolled the Federal Government for the Executive Order #7, which allows private sector intervention in the provision of critical infrastructure.

    Dangote, represented by the Southsouth Regional Director of Dangote Cement, Mr. Okoro George, said a new dawn had come to Ofeme community as the deplorable state of their roads would soon be fixed.

    He explained that the 16-kilometre road would form a ring road around Ofeme and connect it at two points to the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, while the two bridges connecting the town to other communities, would be rebuilt.

    According to him, “the entire road network will be built on concrete pavement instead of earth pavement, which has a lifespan of about 40 years. It will contain drains on both sides while the surface will be made of concrete also instead of asphalt”.

    He added that AG-Dangote has established itself as a reputable construction firm having delivered the 26-kilometre Ibese-Itori concrete road in Ogun State, the two kilometre Apapa-Wharf dual carriage concrete road, the ongoing 43-kilometre Obajana-Kabba concrete road and the 35-kilometre Apapa-Oworonshoki Expressway.

    Dangote Group, he said, pioneered the use of concrete for road construction in Nigeria, adding: “Countries that have achieved self-sufficiency in cement production have found it expedient to adopt the construction of concrete roads because they are cheaper, more durable and environment friendly. I believe Nigeria should not be an exception. We must move with the times.”

    He said Dangote Group was ready to partner the government in providing critical infrastructure to lift the people’s living standard.

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Fashola described the Ofeme Community road network reconstruction as a gigantic project that would open the community and surrounding towns to development.

    The Minister, represented by Federal Controller of Works, Abia State, Mr. Nwankwo Chukwudike, an engineer, said the project on completion, would open up access roads to manufacturing clusters, reduce transportation cost and raise the people’s living standard.

    It would make cheaper and easier movement of produce.

    Ofeme Progressive Union President General Mr Ndubuisi Kanu expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and Dangote Group for selecting his community as a beneficiary of Executive Order #7, adding that Alhaji Dangote had shown so much love to Ofeme people.

    Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okey Enelamah said the administration, desirous of providing critical infrastructure, enacted Executive Order #7, which involves partnering the private sector. He said the road reconstruction project is one of the many development oriented projects coming to the community.

    Chairman of Dangote Cement, Aliko Dangote had earlier made strident calls for adoption of concrete roads in the country. He urged the federal government to embrace the option of using concrete for roads in the country. Aside from being very cheap, he said concrete roads are more durable and that its maintenance cost is near zero.

    According to him:, “We are pushing for Nigeria to do a concrete road. It is cheaper to do a concrete road that will last over 40 years than to do a bitumen road. It will also help in eliminating corruption. The project is for the benefits of the community. It is obvious that the option for concrete roads will be the solution to solve the road infrastructural decay in the country. This is because concrete road is less expensive than asphalt road by almost 23 per cent and also we can build concrete road in less time.

    “Even in terms of maintenance, we don’t need so much resources to maintain it like the asphalt roads. In countries like Brazil, Portugal, India, where they use concrete roads majorly, they don’t have the type of road challenges we have in Nigeria because concrete roads can last for a minimum of 40 years as against asphalt roads that can last for between seven and eight years. So, the good option for the Nigerian government will have to be for them to embrace the use of concrete roads,” he added.

  • How construction is contributing to growth, by group

    The Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI), Director-General, Mrs. Olubunmi Adekoje, has said the construction industry is a strong partner of the government.

    Mrs. Adejoke stated this when the association visited the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola in Abuja

    She said the industry has brought  empowerment and development, but noted that, the industry was in a prostrate state due to the adverse effect caused by accumulated delays in paying for contracts executed, which she advised must be looked into to find a solution.

    She said: “We recall that as at 2015, many FOCI members were distressed as a result of huge debts of over N600billion owed by the government. We appreciate the effort of the  government in payment of a substantial amount of this debt. We also acknowledge the creative provision of funds for capital projects, the Sukuk Bond to finance infrastructure. The above initiatives have brought immerse relief to our members. Also, worthy of appreciation are the results obtained in a number of fields like the ease of doing business, the business confidence in Nigeria and the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) which are all proof of a slow but systematic improvement and change in the way the system works now,” she said.

    She further said FOCI  has the capacity to employ a large number of professionals: technicians and tradesmen, adding that after the government the Group is  the largest employer of labour.

  • N10b luxury Prime Rose Estate berths in Lekki

    Prime Rose estate in Ibeju- Lekki, Lagos has a common denominator with estates in her category along the axis. It has luxury, flexible payment options  affordable to those who may desire to be part.

    The promoter of the estate and Managing Director of Gtex Homes and Gtex Global Mr. Stephen Akintayo said the estate is targeted at the Upper middle class and will come with the accompanying luxury they are used to such as a Golf Resort and every privilege they are used to. He said the proximity of the estate to the Lekki Free Trade Zone and Dangote Refinery makes it a prime estate for the middle class. He added that this will further quicken the development of the estate and neigbourhood.

    On the number of houses on each of the estates, he said it will host over 500 housing units of four bedroom duplexes, serviced flats and apartments that will be as high as eight storey building.

    The second estate in Sapphire Estate in Owutu-Isawo, Ikorodu, he said, would consist of 1, 2 & 3 bedroom flats and bungalows complemented with a museum and a canoe resort as the estate is bordered by rivers. This housing unit would be sold to subscribers on packages that will suit individual purses on a flexible payment plan and affordable prices.

    The investment margin, he explained, is as high as 20 per cent. He encouraged people to come in as joint and retail investors and reap from the high Return on Investment (Rol). Adding that with an initial investment of 30 per cent an investor can make up to 130 per cent income in three years just by putting your money down for the company to build houses in all segments and sell and return the profit to you.

  • Hamzat unveils infrastructural plans for Lagos

    • Says round-about may not suit Lagos again

    The Deputy Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), in Lagos State, Dr Obafemi  Hamzat, has said the state may do away with roundabouts in the metropolis for a more efficient road management. He, however, added that the situation will be subjected to further studies before eventually settling for the best model to adopt.

    Hamzat, who was a former Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure in the state, made this known in a chat with The Nation, while speaking on his plans for the state. According to him, research studies have shown that there are about 61 gridlock points in Lagos, with the biggest of them experienced at toll points along the Lekki/Ajah Estate.

    Furthermore, he revealed that studies showed that about 21 per cent of vehicles on Nigerian roads are domiciled in Lagos, leading to an upsurge in vehicle renewals in recent times. This, he said, lends credence to the need for intermodal transportation system in the state. Indeed, the need for this model of transportation has been on the rise, given the hectic traffic situation being experienced. Perhaps this accounts for the rise in water transportation in the state. For instance, from 14, 000 daily passenger movement by ferry in 2005, a record 144, 000 passengers now commute daily by this means.

    Hamzat, therefore, assured that if voted into office, his administration will improve on the model by engaging bigger ferries to ply the waterways, or by subsiding the cost of water transportation to make it more affordable for the populace.

    On the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT), Hamzat said: “We will provide large volume of buses and work on providing more dedicated routes for them. We will coordinate their activities. Our business is to ensure that movement of people and goods flow freely.  We will work on our inner roads  by  lifting the Public Works Department.  When we go full swing into construction of our roads,  we can employ 118,00 people  annually and that will stimulate the economy of the state because construction is a huge job creator,” he explained.

    Hamzat, while responding to a question on housing, said low cost housing does not exist anywhere as there are no low cost iron rods or cement. Rather, he explained, government will work on a sustainable housing system that will benefit the populace, especially first time home owners, young graduates and couples.

    On the perennial flooding in the state, the APC deputy governorship candidate explained that since the state lies two metres below sea level, the cases of flash flood being experienced is nothing to worry about because once there is a channel for water to flow such floods will disappear in no time.

    Hamzat explained that government will always work on desilting  and opening up of the drainage which they usually do two months before the onset of rains.

    Speaking on the challenge of refuse disposal, he said the greatest mistake made was to subjugate the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA). He maintained that LAWMA will continue to be the regulatory agency as far as refuse management is concerned while PSP operators will  function in areas they have capacities.