Nigerian Newspapers
Nigerians groan for affordable housing
As slum settlements spring up in major cities of Nigeria, Associate Editor, Udenna Orji writes on government’s efforts to avoid a housing crisis of unmanageable proportion and concludes that the federal government must hasten to conclude its perennial review of the Land Use Act.
Shelter is the third most important need of man; after food and clothing. Housing is so important to human existence that it is declared as one of the fundamental human rights. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, Housing, medical care and necessary social services and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control”.
Every government therefore has a mandate to ensure that citizens it governs have access to and can afford the minimum standard of housing adequate for healthy living.
Everywhere in Nigeria today, there is growing disenchantment among the majority, especially the medium and low income earners over the rising spate of homelessness and slums. As the world’s most populous black country, the population of Nigeria has kept increasing and the nation is touted by experts to be heading towards the 170 million mark. That ought to be an advantage considering that much of the population is made up of young people 45 years and under. Unfortunately, shortage of housing in Nigeria, estimated to be between 16 – 17 million units, is now biting not only the young population but the senior citizens as well. Home ownership in Nigeria is one of the lowest in the world. Even affordable rental housing is scarce.
According to the United Nations Habitat, in Nigeria, over 80% of the population lives in informal settlements in both the major urban areas and traditional villages. Average level of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) invested in housing declined from 3.6% in the 70s to less than 1% in 2002. Currently, it is less than 0.5% compared with 25% – 30% average in Emerging Markets and 50% in matured markets. This is despite the fact that Nigeria has an annual population growth rate of 5.9%. Consequently, slums are springing up everywhere in the country.
Many reasons have been adduced for the critical housing situation in Nigeria but the major culprit is unanimously said to be the Land Use Act of 1978 which vests land ownership on government with state governors deciding who gets what. The Act comes with a complex, expensive and blurred land administration process.
Happily, the federal government now has in place a Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms (PTCLR) which has been mandated to provide the much needed solutions to Nigeria’s land titling problems. The Committee is successfully carrying out pilot schemes in some states which will be used as a model for Systematic Land Titling and Registration (SLTR) in Nigeria. The committee’s work when completed will enable banks accept portions of land anywhere in Nigeria as collateral for loans, especially mortgage loans.
At the inauguration of the reconstituted PTCLR on November 29, 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan had reiterated the enormous wealth creation potential of land and its resources and expressed his desire to witness the day the ordinary Nigerian farmer and all other desiring Nigerians will be enabled with considerable ease to access bank loans for their businesses, using the title documents to their landed properties. He therefore mandated the committee to work hard to achieve effective and efficient land governance system for Nigeria.
Under the Chairmanship of Emeritus Professor, Peter O Adeniyi, the PTCLR is successfully carrying out pilot schemes in some states which will be used as a model for Systematic Land Titling and Registration (SLTR) in Nigeria. However, analysts say government should provide more funds to the committee to enable it complete its work on time.
To ameliorate the housing shortage and boost affordable housing, the federal government is also increasing the capital base of mortgage banks. Mortgage banks that wish to operate in a state alone are to increase their capital base to N2.5 billion while those that want to operate nationwide are to increase their capital base to N5 billion. All these government measures are to enable access to mortgage loans for the low income earners.
On how to boost affordable housing in Nigeria, Mass Housing Developer and Managing Director of El-Salem Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Ben Gbade Ojo has called on the Federal Government to develop infrastructure in all areas designated for mass housing as a way of achieving government’s target of reducing the nation’s housing deficit.
Mr. Ojo who made the call in a chat with Peoples Daily in Abuja recently stated that “without prejudice to the findings and recommendations of the various committees set up by the Housing Minister to identify problems and solutions to Nigeria’s housing sector, including efforts of professional associations and other stakeholders on the way forward for the sector, I wish to call on the Jonathan administration to please tackle Nigeria’s housing problems through concerted development of infrastructure like roads, electric power and pipe-borne water in sites designated for mass housing. Our experience in developing mass housing has shown that the absence of urban infrastructure and escalating cost of building materials have been the bane of estate developers and have effectively stunted efforts at housing development especially on mortgages. While the country waits for the development of the bond market to finance urban infrastructure, we urge the government to create a temporary and targeted intervention fund that will provide infrastructure for serious private sector estate developers and come up with some other measures that will bring down the cost of building materials in the country”.
He said “as the nation gets poised to provide adequate housing for her citizens, it has become necessary to carry out a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s mortgage sector and mortgage institutions in Nigeria”
Mr. Ojo appealed to the Honourable Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ama Pepple “to pursue with her legendary commitment, the issues of reviewing the Land Use Act to make land more accessible and to tackle the delays and difficulties associated with acquisition and transfer of property rights” adding that “developers are committed to providing high quality and affordable housing for the generality of Nigerians if government can provide the enabling environment.
Analysts say the federal government must tackle the housing crisis now to forestall an epidemic of unmanageable proportion. They say government can start from completing its perennial review of the Land Use Act which experts have acknowledged to be the major obstacle to housing development in Nigeria. They opine that the housing sector needs to be fully activated not only because of the adequate shelter it will provide Nigerians but the developmental effect it will have on industry, job creation and economic growth. A rise in housing construction has a positive effect in virtually all sectors of the economy and indices of development.
The National Assembly should also expedite action on the various housing bills before it. Nigerians deserve better housing, including the good life associated with this fundamental human right.
The post Nigerians groan for affordable housing appeared first on Peoples Daily Newspaper, Nigeria.
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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