Housing sector suffered setback ‘when ministry got merged with power’

Festus Adebayo, a real estate expert, says the housing sector suffered when the housing ministry was merged.

Upon assumption of office in 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari merged the housing ministry with power and works.

Speaking with journalists at the weekend, Adebayo said having a ministry for housing is instrumental to the development of the sector.

The expert urged the government to look into the land use act.

“We only suffer a setback when President Buhari came and merged the ministry of housing  [with power]. Many states in Nigeria have listened to our advice and are having a full fledged ministry dedicated only to housing development,”

“Go to Port Harcourt, you see the ministry of housing, go to Kogi state, you also see a ministry of housing and Kwara state. These are things that the Abuja housing show have recommended.

“We have also recommended for the need for government to look into the issue of land use act.”

The expert said the only good thing the government has done is the establishment of Family Home Fund.

“Family Home Fund is one thing we have prayed for, that is where you can buy a house. Two bedrooms for N2.5 million and you pay N1.5 million, is it not your house?” he said.

“Family Home Fund is a socio-intervention of the federal government of Nigeria as you know this government has many areas of intervention but in housing, it is Family Home Fund.

“It is not around to duplicate what Federal Mortgage Bank is doing instead it is to compliment what Federal Mortgage Bank has been doing because a lot of people cannot buy the houses the mortgage bank is financing.

“That is one good aspect that Buhari has done but the project just started.

“Political will is what brought Family Home Fund. We also need political will to ensure that it is effective. I hereby call on President Muhammadu Buhari to pay more attention to housing. President Buhari should use housing as a tool – for Job creation.

“If you ask me the good thing has, the only good thing I have seen in his government is the Family Home Fund.”