The Nigerian Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike has vowed through his administration to initiate construction of 10,000 houses in the upcoming budget cycle, aiming to benefit the poor.
Wike who made the vow while giving his presentation at the Ministerial Sectoral Update to mark President Bola Tinubu’s one year in office in Abuja on Thursday, criticized the steep cost of housing in the federal capital territory.
The Minister expressed disappointments when highlighting how some entrepreneurs, who received free land for mass housing projects, instead subdivided and sold plots at inflated prices.
According to him, “In our next budget, we want to build a Renewed Hope City. This is for affordable houses, not for the big men. We’re going to provide infrastructure, build and allocate the houses to the poor. We have in our mind to build 10,000 houses for the poor”.
Wike also emphasized the need to address distortions of the Abuja masterplan, pledging to take action against unauthorized structures.
Additionally, Wike also urged the National Assembly to toughen laws against vandalism, citing instances like streetlight theft, where current penalties are insufficient deterrents.
“There is no tussle between the Federal Housing Authority, FHA and FCTA. FCTA gave the land to FHA and all the houses are under FHA. However, FCTA have the right to oversight function to ensure that development is in line with the master plan and when I came on board, I set up a committee and to ensure that all those that have distorted the master plan to be fished out.
“If you build for residential but convert to residential then you revert back or we bring it down. You cannot be a leader without stepping on toes, what is important is your coincidence are you doing the right it or not.
“Take for example, the issue of streetlights, today you put streetlights, tomorrow night, it is no longer there. What happened? They vandalise them, they go and cut off the cables.
“You arrest them and go and prosecute them. What does the law say on conviction, N10,000. So, they continue and we have told the National Assembly that they must come to our aide by amending and reviewing the law to make it very tough as to discourage vandals from vandalizing our infrastructures” he added.
