Oduduwa News

The Federal Government has launched a portal for its 5,000 housing units which are under different phases of completion.

The Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashiola, said Nigerians can now apply for houses built under the current Federal Government’s National Housing Programme (NHP) in 34 states of the country.

This was following the formal launch of the portal, ‘https://nhp.worksandhousing.gov.ng,’ which took place at the Conference Room of the Ministry in Mabushi, Abuja on Friday.

Fashola said, “We converge here just to introduce a portal on which the National Housing Programme pilot will be offered for sale to the public. What that means is that we will not be selling printed forms, the forms are online and this allows for more openness, limits human intervention and any disposition to any underhand practice”.

Nigeria has a housing deficit of over 21 million units and over N21trn will be required to finance the deficit.

But the debate by experts is that the country needs housing units that average Nigerians can afford.

The National Minimum Wage signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 was N30,0000 per month.

The building project which was undertaken by the Ministry of Works is under the National Housing Programme programme and is inline with the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria (SGD), the government had claimed.

The seventeen SDGs have an urban component, including targets such as affordable housing.

Goal eleven of the SDG targets to ensure that by 2030, the government will provide access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.

Investigation on the newly launched portal by the ministry reveals that the cheapest building available on the portal is N7,222,404 for a one bedroom flat.

The price of the buildings range from N7,222,404, N9,268,752, N13,241,074 and N16,491,155.8 across the country.

States like Gombe, Katsina ( Gidan kwa-kwa, Off New Ring road, Katsina); Niger ( 3 Arms Zone, Eastern Bye Pass, Minna, Niger); Taraba ( Wukari-Jalingo Road, Jalingo, Taraba); Zamfara (Kuraja-Damba, Off Gusau-Zaria Road, Gusau, Zamfara); Yobe ( Old Damaturu-Maiduguri Road, Damaturu, Yobe) and Adamawa (Sangere Village, along Numan-Jimetta Road, Yola, Adamawa) among others have cost as high as N16,491,155.8.

Some of these states are heavily indebted and have large numbers of the poor.

With the current minimum wage of N30,00, if a Nigerian wants to purchase any of the buildings, the buyer has to make a down payment of 30 per cent of the original cost of the building.

For instance, if the intended buyer chooses to purchase the N16.49m valued three bedroom flat, the buyer will make a down payment of N4.94m which is an equivalent of 13 years and 7 months salary of a minimum wage earner.

This is based on the mortgage calculator for the housing units provided by the ministry on the portal.

If the buyer is settling for the cheapest units, which is N7.22m one bedroom flat, a down payment of N2,166,721.19 is expected to be paid.

The N2.16m down payment is an equivalent of over 6 years salary of a minimum wage earner, while outright purchase of the N7.22m one bedroom apartment will require 20 years salary of the civil servants on N30,000 minimum wage.

ODUDUWA NEWS has gathered that a pregnant woman was beaten to death by her husband in Saki area of Oke-Ogun, Oyo State of Nigeria.

It was gathered that the young woman named Nimatalahi from Giwa’s family gave up the ghost because she was seriously beaten by her husband identified as Azeez.

In the process of beating her, Nimatalahi was trying to run away from her aggressive husband, she fell and was initially neglected by her husband before she was later rushed to the hospital, she gave up the ghost 3 hours after.

It was learnt that Nimatalahi was eight month pregnant and has been abused severally in the past before she later met untimely death.

It was revealed she had once lost a pregnancy due to domestic violence from her husband and that her husband Azeez was well known by neighbours and family how he always brutalized his wives.

AZEEZ is in his early 40s and Nimatallahi was in her early 30s. As at the time of filing this report, nobody can ascertain the whereabouts of her husband.

Justice Lekan Ogunmoye of Ekiti State High Court, sitting in Ado Ekiti has sentenced Abdulsalam Adinoyi (35) to death by hanging.

In his judgment, Justice Ogunmoye said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant, thus, implying his culpability in all the charges against him.

Adinoyi was charged and arraigned on five count charges bothering on Armed Robbery, Murder, Terrorism and unlawful possession of firearms, contrary to sections 1 (2) (a) and 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap C16, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, also Sections 316 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012 and Sections 11 and 12 of the Ekiti State Kidnapping and Terrorism (Prohibition Law), 2015.

According to the charge, Abdulsalam Adinoyi who hails from Okene in Kogi State, between 22nd of December, 2016 and 20th March, 2017 while armed with a gun, attacked and robbed Sergeant Gana Jiya and other Police Officers at Check Point in Oye Ekiti, murdered Sergeant Gana Jiya on the spot while other Police Officers on duty sustained serious degree of gun wounds and carted away two AK-47 Assaulted Riffle, launched terrorism attack on people of Ekiti State and his environs, confessed to being a member of Boko Haram and unlawfully in possession of an AK-47 Assault Rifle among others.

”The sole issues for determination are accordingly resolved in favour of the prosecution. The defendant is hereby found guilty as charged, he is accordingly sentenced to death by hanging in counts 1, 2 and 3, may Almighty God have mercy on his soul. He is also sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in count 4 and ten years imprisonment in count 5 with N10,000.00 as an option of fine, he concluded.’’

In his confessional statement, Adinoyi said, members of his group named Abu Uwais and Aminu a.k.a. Idi-Amin, now at large were planning for an operation, when Police Officers came to his house, it was searched and the AK-47 an Assault Rifle was recovered among other items.

To prove his case, the Prosecutor, Gbemiga Adaramola called five witnesses including Police officers who were at the scene while exhibits tendered included an AK-47 Assault Rifle, statement of the defendants and the victims, photographs, Compact Discs containing Boko Haram trainings, 5 Sim Cards and packs, Flash drives, empty bullet shells, medical reports among others.

The defendant spoke in his own defence through his counsel and called no witnesses.

The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has announced the commencement of sale of new National housing units currently being supervised by the Minister of the Ministry, Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN.

“Over 5,000 houses up for sale across 34 states of the Federation, which construction generated jobs, economic growth. Online sale is to ensure credibility, openness and reduce human intervention,underhand practice. Encourages FHA, FMBN,to use portal,states to adapt portal for sales of their houses”, said Minister.

President of NGE, Permanent Secretary, commended FG, Minister for commitment to housing delivery and the innovation.

Nigerians can now apply for houses built under the current Federal Government’s National Housing Programme (NHP) in 34 states of the country following the launch of the portal on Friday by the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola,SAN through which interested members of the public could apply for allocation.

The formal launch of the portal, https://nhp.worksandhousing.gov.ng, which took place at the conference room of the Ministry in Mabushi, Abuja, throws open the door for Nigerians to apply online to buy the available 5,000 plus housing units, ranging from 1,2 to 3 bedroom bungalows and blocks of flats in any location of their choice.

The Government of Ondo State had lifted ban on forestry activities in the state.

This was contained in a statement signed and made available by the Governor of the State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu as read in part:

“This is to announce to the general public, especially stakeholders in the forestry sector that the ban placed on activities in the State Forest Reserves has been lifted with effect from Monday, November 15, 2021.

“It will be recalled that the State Executive Council, as part of its conclusions at its meeting on the 31st of August, 2021, placed a ban on all activities in the forests including logging and flitching.

“The measure was aimed at bringing sanity to the sector even as it was meant to engender enhanced revenue generation for the State.

“Ten weeks since the ban, Government’s internal and administrative measures emplaced were carefully monitored with a view to charting a more enduring path towards the effective utilisation of the State’s vast forest resources for the general good.

“These mechanisms and measures are undoubtedly, effective enough to drive Government’s vision for the sector. The review of the ban and subsequent approval by Mr Governor to lift same, therefore, comes on the heels of an appreciable level of compliance on the part of those saddled with responsibilities during the ban. So far, the measures have yielded some commendable results.

“All permit holders as well as other legitimate stakeholders are hereby enjoined to commence their activities ONLY from the approved date, Monday 15th November, 2021. State Forest Officers are equally, further mandated to ensure strict adherence to approved guidelines in the discharge of their duties for enhanced productivity”.