Challenges confronting FHA identified

Al-Amin made this known at a one- day management retreat with the theme: ‘Towards Revitalizing the Federal Housing Authority for Effective Housing Delivery’ organized by FHA in Abuja.The FHA boss said that when his administration came on board, it met an organization filled with poorly motivated staffs that have stagnated on the same level for […]

Al-Amin made this known at a one- day management retreat with the theme: ‘Towards Revitalizing the Federal Housing Authority for Effective Housing Delivery’ organized by FHA in Abuja.
The FHA boss said that when his administration came on board, it met an organization filled with poorly motivated staffs that have stagnated on the same level for upwards of 10 years, creating doubts among the staff about their future and that of the authority.
He said, “Rather than work in synergy to promote the interest of the authority, staff and management were in perennial state of mutual suspicion which put a dagger at the heart of the authority.
“In addition, we found that FHA’s major projects designed to add to the nation’s housing stock and re-inflate the organisation’s dwindling resources had been grounded by paucity of funds. To our chagrin, we were confronted with housing projects sited in some of the most commercially unviable locations. The motivation for choosing such sites was definitely not economic. As a result, much of the resources needed to keep the Authority afloat were frozen in unviable projects for which there were no buyers because the housing units were priced beyond what made sense for prospective home owners.”
 He said that due to the dreary situation, the management has held meetings with the various segments of the staff and their two unions to assist them in regaining their lost confidence in themselves and the authority.
He said that the meetings were also to educate the staff on the nature of the restructuring and commercialization approved by government to get the organisation going once again.
“We have also taken the initial step at creating the Central Land and Property Registry by collapsing the ICT and Estate Registry and moving it to the office of the Chief Executive. This step, we are certain, will protect the integrity of the Authority’s vital property documents.”
In her address at the retreat, Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Mrs. Akon Eyankeyi, said that the government is worried by the consistent under-performance of the FHA over the years and the organization inability to meet the legitimate aspirations of the people of Nigeria while urging the new FHA management to give the authority a new lease of life.
 She said that government’s efforts in reducing the nation’s huge housing deficit is hindered by underperforming FHA, creating a disconnect in the country’s delicate housing equation.
“Government has created the Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Corporation (NMRC) to simplify the process of creating mortgages for Nigerians. It has also approved the new National Housing and Urban Development policies. All these actions are aimed at removing all the encumbrances that hinder access to decent and affordable houses for all Nigerians.