The Nation Newspaper

Category: Building & Properties

  • ‘Policy improvement, PIBS will improve infrastructural development’

    Improving mortgage banking and urban planning policies will see more foreign investments in closing Nigeria’s 17 million housing deficit,” the Chairman, Quantity Surveyors Academy Board (QSAB), John Alufohai, has said.

    He also said there would be a boom in the construction of infrastructure for delivering oil and gas to power plants and industries when Nigeria finally delivers new oil industry legislation, that is, the Petroleum Industry Bills (PIBS).

    Alufohai sated these at the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) Construction Arbitration Skill Acquisition and Certification Training (CCArb), in Abuja.

    The QSAB chair, who described construction as a “very expensive business”, said where there is money, there is a risk and that any country that wants to attract a lot of money, in terms of investment must take risk mitigation very serious.

    Alufohai said: “That is certainly what quantity surveyors are doing by extending and sharing arbitration skills. Construction is fraught with all sorts of risks, from delayed delivery to cost overrun. For a country like Nigeria, with a huge infrastructure gap and limited means of financing, we have no choice but to procure infrastructure increasingly using Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

    “If big-ticket construction projects are fraught with risks because they have a considerable possibility for dispute, PPPs multiply the risk. Arbitration is thus a means of considerably de-risking investment in construction generally and in projects procured through PPPs particularly.”

    He hinted that Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), one of the biggest private investors in infrastructure, which has $450 billion under management, is enhancing its capacity to handle projects in emerging markets, including Nigeria.

    He urged construction professionals to get ready for receiving much of the projected investment.

    “The Quantity Surveyors Academy will be conducting high-quality training in many other areas such as oil and gas and heavy engineering, focusing on new trends in construction in these areas, including economics and technology, as well as private and public sector financing,” he said.

    He expressed hope that construction professionals in the public sector would also try to take advantage of these courses and training to achieve the needed growth through a seamless public-private partnership.

    The CCArb is holding at the International Centre for Arbitration and Mediation Abuja (ICAMA). It will end on February 1.

  • SON gets award

    Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has won an award by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International.

    In a statement, the agency’s Head, Public Relations, Mr. Bola Fashina, said SON’s Director-General, OsitaAboloma received the award from ASTM Director, Business Development, Europe, Alistair Klein, in Lagos.

    Klein stated that the award was in recognition of  the Society’s 15 years’  partnership with SON in the development and use of global standards for health, safety and the environment, among other benefits.

    According to him, the ASTM team was in Nigeria to participate in the West African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (WAIPEC) and used the opportunity to connect with its local partners, including SON.

    He stated that the partnership with SON is aimed at furthering its support for Nigeria’s growth, and to aid the development of  standards.

    Responding, Aboloma expressed delight at the award, stressing that the partnership with the organisation had been of benefit to not only the SON, but also the nation. He assured the ASTM team of SON’s participation in WAIPEC to interact with stakeholders in the petroleum sector in  standards and quality assurance procedures.

  • We ‘ll complete Lagos-Badagry expressway, says Hamzat

    Concerned with the seeming slowpace at which some critical road projects in Lagos is moving, coupled with the attendant consequences in movement of people and goods, Lagos State goverorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has pledged to improve on the quality of living standards in the state if elected in this year’s general elections.

    Echoing the commitment of his principal and his passion to ensure the completion of ongoing critical road projects that included the Lagos Badagry Expressway, Sanwo-Olu’s Running mate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, while fielding questions from respondents on Radio programme last week, assured Lagosians of their commitment to early completion of the expressway.

    According to Hamzat, both Badagry and Lekki-Epe expressways are so critical to the economy of Lagos, that no effort must be spared to ensure their early completion. To this end, issue of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge may be delayed.

    “Specifically, the ongoing 60-kilometre Lagos-Badagry Expressway project being executed by the state government must be completed as early as possible. The project has two major intermodal transport schemes namely; the Lagos-Badagry Expressway and the Light Rail Mass Transit with their accompanying infrastructure- 10 lanes superhighway taking off from Eric Moore interchange and traverses westward through Orile Iganmu, Alaba Oro, Mile 2, Festac, Agboju, Iyana Iba, Okokomaiko, Iyana Era, Ijanikin, Agbara, Ibereko and terminated at Badagry.

    “The goal is to connect Lagos with the ECOWAS countries. The initiative would no doubt, enhance the  commercial and other business activities between the affected neighbouring countries”. Hamzat said.

    Besides, he acknowledged the importance of Lekki-Epe Expressway, which he said would be expanded and reconstructed, especially, from where it stopped now to the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) in Akodo.

    “Just like the Badagry Expressway, Lekki-Epe axis is also critical, in view of the ongoing enormous development taking place in the axis, there is need to review the issue of Fourth Mainland Bridge. For now, the project must be put in abeyance, because technical reports from experts revealed that the volume of traffic along the axis cannot cope with additional ones that the 4th Mainland bridge will engender.

    “What we intend to do, if we form government, is to begin the construction of Coastal Roads from Ajah axis to Ibeju-Lekki, and possibly compete the abandoned portion of the Expressway from Ibeju to Epe; linking it to Ijebu-Ode, where trucks and other articulated vehicles coming to LFTZ would avoid Ijebu-Ode-Itoikin road”, said the APC Deputy Governor candidate, who assured that their government would massively invest to boost the already existing facilities as well as initiating new ones across the state.

    Hamzat, a former Lagos Commissioner for Science and Technology, as well as Works and Infrastructure, said his principal, Sanwo-Olu and himself were not novice to government, having being in the system for quite a while.

    On the challenges of the ever-growing population of Lagos, which its agreed that is currently over 20 million, with a projected figure of close to 30 million in the next decade, Hamzat emphasised the need to be proactive before the time comes.

    Read also: On Jonathan’s alleged offer of $5m bribe to Hamzat

    “Lagos population is humongous,  despite her being the smallest State in Nigeria with a land area of 3, 577 square kilometres. This translates that it occupies a paltry 0.4 per cent of total land area of Nigeria, which is 923,768 square kilometres”, he said, adding that Lagos has more than two million vehicles on her roads, out of about 12 million vehicles on the Nigerian roads as a whole.

    Drawing from statistical figures obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Hamzat disclosed that about 260, 000 people come into the state daily, while only about 20-25 percent of this figure return to their original places of migration. This huge migration influx to the city, he noted, is overstretching the existing infrastructure and facilities, thereby making for an urgent need to be innovative in providing infrastructure in the state.

    He assured that their plan will be to expand and improve on existing infrastructure project. ‘Government is a continuum and we will continue with existing projects to the benefit of Lagos. Our focus remains ‘Towards a Greater Lagos: A Collective Effort’, he added.

    To this end, Lagos APC deputy governorship candidate said their government would work with an acronym: ‘THEME.’ “Our Promise to Lagosians is ‘THEME Lagos.” The pillar includes traffic management and transportation; health and environment; education and technology; making Lagos a 21st Century economy; entertainment and tourism.

    He stated that efforts will also be geared up towards fixing various inner roads across the state. To achieve this, Hamzat revealed that the three Asphalt plants in the state will be turned around and made ready to put people to work in order to make the roads motorable throughout the year.

     

  • NCF holds forum on environment

    The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) will today hold talks on environment issues. This comes under the aegis of the Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture, an annual event organised by the NCF in collaboration with the S.L. Edu Family. The event is with the support of Chevron Nigeria Limited, and is aimed at bringing environmental issues to the fore of national discourse while articulating solutions.

    In a statement signed by the NCF’s Director General, Muhtari Aminu-Kano, the Foundation said this year’s lecture with the theme: ‘A quiet revolution – Faith and the environment,’ is to be delivered by the Secretary General, Alliance of Religions and Conservation, United Kingdom, Martin Palmer. The statement said that speakers from diverse backgrounds, rang-ing from academics, conservation, government, corporates and more, have delivered lectures on environmental conservation, policies and other topical issues in the past.

    “Some of the topics and guest speakers in its 17-year history include ‘Environmental management: Imperatives in Africa’s sustainable development’ by Prof. Charles Okidi of the University of Kenya; ‘Environmental policy and performance: A sustainable development agenda for Nigeria’ by  the former Head of interim government in Nigeria, Chief Ernest Shonekan; and ‘Decline of vultures: Consequences of human health and the economy’ by the former Minister of Environment, and current Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, among others,” the statement read.

    Aminu-Kano revealed further that at today’s event, two PhD students in the field of Environmental Sciences in universities across the country, would be awarded scholarship grants. “The grant, sponsored by Chevron, is to encourage the students to undertake research in nature conservation, biodiversity and sustainable livelihood,” he said.

     

  • Property scorecard coming

    The International Real Estate Federation, FIABCI Nigeria, has concluded plans to introduce into the real estate sector, the Nigerian property scorecard- a global benchmark for real estate investments, in its 2019 Prix D’Excellence Awards.

    The body, which regrets that nothing concrete has been achieved in the country’s quest for affordable housing, explained that the introduction of the scorecard is in line with the global mandate of the association, just as it clamours for affordable housing for all.

    The President, FIABCI Nigeria, Mr. Adeniji Adele, said the scorecard can be likened to bringing out the property aspect of the ease of doing business. “FIABCI Nigeria wants to be the custodian of the property scorecard in Nigeria; it will be a continuous thing until stakeholders in the country get it right,” he said.

    According to the Vice President, FIABCI Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga Ismail, explained that the Nigerian property scorecard is fashioned after the International Property Markets Scorecard methodology, which is developed by the Centre for International Private Enterprise  and IHC Global.

    The Vice President, Mr Gbenga Ismail, said it had become important to attract foreign funds into the property market. While underscoring the need to bring in significant number of investors into the real estate sector, he called on stakeholders and government to ensure that the business environment is made friendly and transparent so as to encourage investments.

    He further explained that the core elements of the scorecard comprised of financial transparency because of the need to ensure financial stability. This, he said, will help practitioners to raise questions for policymakers at the planned ceremony.

    “The scorecard will give us the core elements that Nigeria must score high on. In spite of the challenges of doing business here, there are a lot of opportunities. We just need to change our mindset.

    Ismail said apart from the scorecard, the programme, which is scheduled to hold on January 25, is with the theme: “Ease of doing business”, would also feature a business forum. He further stated that professionals who had distinguished themselves in affordable housing, hotel, retail, sustainable development, mixed use, residential housing both mid-rise and high-rise, office and industrial development, among others, would receive awards for their contributions to the real estate industry.

    Expected at the event are the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment in the Office of the Vice President, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, as the guest speaker and the Lagos State Commissioner for Housing, Gbolahan Lawal, as the special guest of honour.

    Others are the Chairman, Honeywell Group, Dr Oba Otudeko as well as the World President, FIABCI International, Mr. Assen Makedonov, among others.

  • Presidential candidates chart course for effective, efficient housing

    The controversial Land Use Act, seen by many stakeholders in the housing and real estate sector, may be repealed just as Nigerians may benefit from a better, stronger and properly managed mortgage system. With these in place, Nigerians are likely to heave a sigh of relief from the accessible and affordable housing yoke ravaging the country and leaving her with a deficit of over 17 million housing units.

    These were the hopes and assurances given at the weekend by the Presidential Candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), in this year’s February 16 Presidential election, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, while speaking on the state of the housing market at a Town Hall meeting organised by the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development of the University of Lagos. About five political parties, excluding the two major political parties- the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), attended the meeting.

    According to Moghalu, if elected into office, his administration would initiate an aggressive policy on housing reforms,  innovative approach to housing construction,   reduce the costing and improving the slums by providing adequate water and sewage management systems. These policies, he explained, would begin with the repeal of the infamous Land Use Act introduced over 40 years ago, to enable especially Nigerians in the middle and low income earning class have access to land without reducing their scope of ownership of the Land.

    The YPP hopeful lamented the failure of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FCMB), in meeting the hopes and aspirations of Nigerians. This failure by the government-owned mortgage institution, he further explained, is encapsulated in the FCMB’s ability to have only been able to build 17,000 housing units across the country through the National Housing Fund (NHF) it has managed in 25 years. Moghalu, therefore, assured that mortgage would be made accessible to all Nigerians as his administration would channel more funds to mortgage refinancing to enable the system have a subsidised mortgage support.

    Also at the meeting, the Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Oby Ezekwesili, cautioned that while it would be politically difficult to repeal the Land Use Act, upon her election, she would institute a workable data on how the Act has limited not just housing but in making lands accessible. By extension, the overall economy would be a key focus for all stakeholders to work on.

    Ezekwesili remarked that tackling the level of poverty in the country is very paramount as this would not only improve the living conditions of the citizens but will also in the long run improve housing stock on the supply side, in the country.

    On the plethora of abandoned Federal Government buildings in Lagos State, Ezekwesili, a  former Minister, was emphatic that such assets would be privatised to generate funds for the Federal Government.  “I will not raise expectations that will not be realised. The total budget for 2019 is $30 billion. We need all the resources we can find,” she said.

    On the part of the Presidential candidate of the African Action  Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, the housing strategy would involve putting in place a transparent land registry system that would aid planning process.

    “Part of the problem we have is that we do not have a proper documentation of houses because nobody wants to reveal how houses are built, who owns them,  how much was it sold. Most of the houses in this  country are owned by just few.  We need a transparent land registry system. Without that, we cannot even start to plan,” Sowore said

    He revealed that if elected, his administration would set aside $3.6 million for housing and  increase the minimum wage to a N100,000 as part of its policy on mortgage for low income earners. “We are in need of 17 million homes. Over 80 million Nigerians are without homes.  In Nigeria, an average family of five: a father, mother and three kids should be entitled to a home,” he said.

    On the redevelopment of abandoned federal government buildings, Sowore said:  “I will not give any more of our public institution to private the sector; they have gotten enough. We will convert them to schools, hospitals and for other use that will benefit the Nigerian people. If given to the private sector, it will end up in the hands of our minsters,  governors,  party leaders, national leaders among others.  We do not even have enough space to cater for our social needs, we can’t continue to give our properties to them.”

    The Presidential candidate of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Fela Durotoye, a state of emergency on housing would be declared, while there will be a convocation of stakeholders in the housing sector to create a vision that promotes access to affordable,  safe and functional houses.

    He said if elected, his administration would target creating 3.75 million houses in his four years. This would be achieved through his establishment of a national emergency housing fund to the tune of $ 3.6 billion as well as putting in place a policy framed around engaging the public in the development of houses. “The building capacity will increase every year.  In my first year, 250,000 housing units would be created. In the second year,  500,000, third year, one million and in the fourth year, two million” he said.

    For the Presidential candidate of the Accord Party (AP),  Mr. Isaac Ositelu, regenerating the slums and ensuring lands are well surveyed before they are sold as well as conversion of abandoned buildings to an upgraded students accommodation would be the focus.

    Earlier, the Director of the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development, Prof Timothy Nubi, expressed concerns over the neglect the housing sector has experienced over the years.  He regrets that notwithstanding the various programmes of successive governments, the increasing housing deficit, as well as the high growth of slums and the predominant population living in slum-like conditions are  testaments to the failure of the programmes.

    Underscoring the importance of housing to social and economic growth, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Academics, Prof Oluwole Familoni advised the candidates to efficiently deliver their manifestos when elected.

     

     

  • Bill will promote efficient use of water

    The Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission says the National Water Resources Bill, if passed will ensure provision of potable water and promote its efficient use in the country.

    Mr Peter Onoja, the Acting Executive Director of the commission, made this known in a report titled: “Implementation of Effective Regulations of Water Resources in Nigeria”, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, January 11, 2019 in Abuja.

    Onoja added that the bill would also ensure the safety of drinking water and to protect public from contracting water related diseases.

    He said that water regulatory systems under the bill would be catalytic to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 and achieved the universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.

    SDG 6, which is one of the 17 SDGs established by the UN in 2015, aims at ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all people by 2030.

    According to Onoja, the enactment of the water bill by the National Assembly and the President can fast track the achievement of the SDG 6.

    He said that the regulation of water sector in the country was imminent to eliminate irregularities, stressing that the commission was duly committed to work toward it.

     

  • NEMA seeks stakeholders’ collaboration

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at the weekend called for collaboration with stakeholders in the South-South region for effective emergency management of the area.

    Mr Ibarakumo Walson, the New South-South Zonal Coordinator, NEMA, made the call during the official handing over ceremony by the outgoing coordinator in Port Harcourt, Mr Ejike Martins.

    Walson, who is also the Assistant Director, Planning Research and Forecast Management of NEMA, appealed to the media and other stakeholders to work with the agency to achieve its set goals and ensure effective emergency control and management.

    “I appeal to stakeholders and the media to collaborate with us because NEMA alone cannot effectively manage or control disasters without the cooperation and collaboration of stakeholders.

    “We need collaboration to continue from where my predecessor stopped because it is a continuous process; I appeal, especially to the media, to work with us to achieve the agency’s goal in the zone,” he said.

    He said the agency would ensure that the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) worked together for positive results in disaster and emergency management.

    The Zonal Coordinator promised to work assiduously to move the agency forward and enjoined members of staff to work with him in realising this objective.

    Speaking earlier, Ejike, who welcomed Walson to the state, commended officers of the agency for their support and cooperation they gave him which made his work easy.

     

  • ‘Safer practices reduce hazardous exposures in small-scale mining’

    A pilot programme to reduce lead poisoning in Nigerian gold mining communities has brought extraordinary improvements to an area where hundreds of children had died from lead poisoning, according to a study published last week. The study authors concluded that a two-year effort to introduce safer mining practices was effective at preventing deaths and reducing lead poisoning in highly exposed villages.

    “Our pilot project demonstrated that low-cost dust control measures were effective at reducing average airborne lead exposures by 95 percent,” said Perry Gottesfeld, Executive Director of Occupational Knowledge International (OK International) whose organisation partnered with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in this effort.

    OK International is a U.S. based NGO that works to build capacity in developing countries to identify, monitor, and mitigate environmental and occupational exposures to hazardous materials in order to protect public health and the environment.

    The safer mining project took place in the Shakira community in Niger State where high levels of lead are naturally present in the gold ore. The primary objective was to reduce lead exposures among artisanal small-scale miners and minimise take home exposures.

    “We worked cooperatively with miners to provide them with the information and tools to reduce their exposures to lead and silica dust. Together we showed that these efforts minimized contamination and helped save lives,” Gottesfeld said.

    The organisation demonstrated the effectiveness of reducing airborne lead levels by working with miners to convert dry operations to wet methods. Water spray misting was proven to be highly effective while minimising water consumption. In addition to significant reductions in airborne lead, the authors reported that these control measures reduced the smaller respirable silica dust by 80%.

    Philip Aruna, Head of Mission in Nigeria for Doctors Without Borders, said: “OK International has exceeded expectations in bringing an entire community together to prevent severe lead poisoning and by demonstrating significant reductions in lead exposures among miners.”

    Gottesfeld noted: “Following our extensive outreach and training, these miners were motivated to take measures to reduce hazardous lead exposures and invested their own time and money to implement these protective measures.”

     

    • Culled from Environews

     

  • We ‘ll complete Lagos-Badagry expressway, says Hamzat

    Concerned with the seeming slowpace at which some critical road projects in Lagos is moving, coupled with the attendant consequences in movement of people and goods, Lagos State goverorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has pledged to improve on the quality of living standards in the state if elected in this year’s general elections.

    Echoing the commitment of his principal and his passion to ensure the completion of ongoing critical road projects that included the Lagos Badagry Expressway, Sanwo-Olu’s Running mate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, while fielding questions from respondents on Radio programme last week, assured Lagosians of their commitment to early completion of the expressway.

    According to Hamzat, both Badagry and Lekki-Epe expressways are so critical to the economy of Lagos, that no effort must be spared to ensure their early completion. To this end, issue of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge may be delayed.

    “Specifically, the ongoing 60-kilometre Lagos-Badagry Expressway project being executed by the state government must be completed as early as possible. The project has two major intermodal transport schemes namely; the Lagos-Badagry Expressway and the Light Rail Mass Transit with their accompanying infrastructure- 10 lanes superhighway taking off from Eric Moore interchange and traverses westward through Orile Iganmu, Alaba Oro, Mile 2, Festac, Agboju, Iyana Iba, Okokomaiko, Iyana Era, Ijanikin, Agbara, Ibereko and terminated at Badagry.

    “The goal is to connect Lagos with the ECOWAS countries. The initiative would no doubt, enhance the  commercial and other business activities between the affected neighbouring countries”. Hamzat said.

    Besides, he acknowledged the importance of Lekki-Epe Expressway, which he said would be expanded and reconstructed, especially, from where it stopped now to the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) in Akodo.

    “Just like the Badagry Expressway, Lekki-Epe axis is also critical, in view of the ongoing enormous development taking place in the axis, there is need to review the issue of Fourth Mainland Bridge. For now, the project must be put in abeyance, because technical reports from experts revealed that the volume of traffic along the axis cannot cope with additional ones that the 4th Mainland bridge will engender.

    “What we intend to do, if we form government, is to begin the construction of Coastal Roads from Ajah axis to Ibeju-Lekki, and possibly compete the abandoned portion of the Expressway from Ibeju to Epe; linking it to Ijebu-Ode, where trucks and other articulated vehicles coming to LFTZ would avoid Ijebu-Ode-Itoikin road”, said the APC Deputy Governor candidate, who assured that their government would massively invest to boost the already existing facilities as well as initiating new ones across the state.

    Hamzat, a former Lagos Commissioner for Science and Technology, as well as Works and Infrastructure, said his principal, Sanwo-Olu and himself were not novice to government, having being in the system for quite a while.

    On the challenges of the ever growing population of Lagos, which its agreed that is currently over 20 million, with a projected figure of close to 30 million in the next decade, Hamzat emphasised the need to be proactive before the time comes.

    “Lagos population is humongous,  despite her being the smallest State in Nigeria with a land area of 3, 577 square kilometres. This translates that it occupies a paltry 0.4 per cent of total land area of Nigeria, which is 923,768 square kilometres”, he said, adding that Lagos has more than two million vehicles on her roads, out of about 12 million vehicles on the Nigerian roads as a whole.

    Drawing from statistical figures obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Hamzat disclosed that about 260, 000 people come into the state daily, while only about 20-25 percent of this figure return to their original places of migration. This huge migration influx to the city, he noted, is overstretching the existing infrastructure and facilities, thereby making for an urgent need to be innovative in providing infrastructure in the state.

    He assured that their plan will be to expand and improve on existing infrastructure project. ‘Government is a continuum and we will continue with existing projects to the benefit of Lagos. Our focus remains ‘Towards a Greater Lagos: A Collective Effort’, he added.

    To this end, Lagos APC deputy governorship candidate said their government would work with an acronym: ‘THEME.’ “Our Promise to Lagosians is ‘THEME Lagos.” The pillar includes traffic management and transportation; health and environment; education and technology; making Lagos a 21st Century economy; entertainment and tourism.

    He stated that efforts will also be geared up towards fixing various inner roads across the state. To achieve this, Hamzat revealed that the three Asphalt plants in the state will be turned around and made ready to put people to work in order to make the roads motorable throughout the year.