From Umar Danladi Ado
In a significant stride towards addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to perform the groundbreaking ceremony for 1,500 units of Renewed Hope houses at Unguwar Rimi, Tofa Local Government Area, Kano State.
This initiative marks a major expansion following the commencement of 500 housing units in Lambu, also within Tofa Local Government Area in the state.
The Renewed Hope Housing scheme is a cornerstone of the Federal Government’s broader urban development strategy, which includes the establishment of model cities across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
A statement issued on Sunday by Adamu Abdullahi, Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity further said alongside the upcoming Kano development, similar city projects are planned for Enugu, Nasarawa, Port Harcourt, Lagos, and Maiduguri, ensuring a nationwide impact.
During an inspection of the new site for the second phase of the Kano City project, the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa confirmed that the President has not only approved the project but will also personally inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony soon.
The minister highlighted that while the 500 housing units at Lambu are being financed through the ministry’s budget, the more ambitious 1,500-unit development will be executed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
This innovative funding model, Dangiwa explained, ensures that private developers bring sufficient capital to the table, guaranteeing the uninterrupted progress of the project.
“We have carefully selected private developers who have demonstrated both the financial capability and technical expertise necessary to deliver a project of this scale. We are confident in their ability to provide high-quality housing units within the stipulated timeline,” Dangiwa assured.
The minister further emphasized that these housing developments would not only alleviate Kano’s accommodation challenges but also create thousands of jobs for professionals and artisans in the state, thereby boosting local economic growth.
However, after inspecting the ongoing work on the 500 housing units at Lambu, the minister expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of construction, warning the contractor to accelerate efforts or face serious consequences.
“We are not happy with the current level of work on-site,” Dangiwa stated candidly. “You should be much further along than you are now. If there is no significant progress by the time we inspect again next week, we will reassign the uncompleted portions of the project to another contractor.”
Reiterating the importance of timely completion, the minister reminded the contractor of the need to employ more workers to meet the project’s December deadline. “We know you have the capacity, which is why you were awarded this job. Many others are eager for such opportunities.
By the end of this year, we expect this project to be ready for commissioning,” he directed.
As President Tinubu prepares to lay the foundation for the new phase of the Renewed Hope housing scheme, the Federal Government continues its commitment to providing affordable housing across the country, with Kano State standing as a significant beneficiary of this visionary initiative.
