Neglected Graceland estate begs for FG’s attention

Graceland estate located in Adaka along Naka road, outskirt of Makurdi in Benue State was commissioned in March, 2011 by the then minister of housing, Usim Essien.  Essien was at that time accompanied by the former Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Alhaji Gimba Ya’u, and the state’s ex-governor Gabriel Suswam to […]

Graceland estate located in Adaka along Naka road, outskirt of Makurdi in Benue State was commissioned in March, 2011 by the then minister of housing, Usim Essien.
 Essien was at that time accompanied by the former Managing Director of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Alhaji Gimba Ya’u, and the state’s ex-governor Gabriel Suswam to open up the estate for prospective occupants.
 Needless to say that endless promises were made by the minister and the FMBN boss to ensure early completion of the infrastructure such as; internal roads, electricity
and release of remaining funds to build additional units of flats in order to make the estate the ideal dream of the developer.
 Sadly, five years after, Graceland estate is yet to achieve its full potentials as it was originally intended to be due to lack of finance which has stalled the development of the place now overgrown with weeds.
 Our correspondent visited the estate and observed that most of the buildings; detached units of one, two and three bedroom flats were not inhabited. Apart from overgrown grasses which have taken toll on the estate, access roads were poor and drainages lacking.
 A pioneer beneficiary of the owner occupier estate and staff of the state’s Ministry of Land and Survey, Nsugh Adzaagee, said the issues of inadequate facility had poised serious challenges to occupants over the years.
 “The developer provided borehole which supplies water for occupants of the estate but as you can see, internal roads are lacking, drainages are not in place, electricity is a challenge and perimeter fence not erected,” he said.
Adzaagee however expressed happiness that they live peacefully in the area as there were no cases of theft or armed robbery in the estate except for herdsmen who seldom invades the vicinity to graze their cows.
According to him, the developer had shown commitment on its part in making life easier for occupants by providing a bit of necessary facility to ease life for them in the solitary estate even as he called on the FMBN to play their role in order for the developer to finish the estate.
 He added:”It is because of facilities that people don’t want to come and live here.
Look at the unoccupied houses overgrown with weeds, the developer has tried and I will appeal to the mortgage bank as well as the state government to come to the rescue of the developer so that he can finish the estate and bring it to an amiable state.”
Adzaagee’s view was collaborated by other residents in the uncompleted  estate, which originally was supposed to contain 100 buildings of different sizes of flats but had 70 units on ground at the time of commissioning while the remaining 30 are yet to be built.
 Our correspondent during a chat with the estate developer who is the Managing Director of Divine Shelter Development Company in Makurdi, Mr. Godwin Ajah, learnt that the company secured the loan of over N260 million from FMBN for the  total 100-unit housing project.
 But,the developer had so far invested over N160 million into the project to complete the 70  various types of units currently on ground in the estate, hoping over the years that the remaining money would be released to build the additional 30 units for the completion of the project.
 Ajah said: “The financier bank had promised at the time of commissioning to release additional fund for us to complete the infrastructure but that has not been done.”
 The developer, therefore, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration which has showed special interest in housing development for all citizens to without delay come to the company’s aid through the Federal Ministry of Housing.
 “I appeal to Buhari and the FMBN to come to our rescue so we can complete the project. As you can see, the project is now faced with vandalisation of its fittings. Already, we have lost five units of 3-bedrooms to fire occasioned by bush burning around the area. They should release quick funds for its completion and all other housing projects in the country,” Ajah pleaded.
 Daily Trust gathered that beneficiaries of the project included civil servants and private sector individuals who are contributors to the National Housing Scheme.
While most of the beneficiaries have abandoned their apartment for elsewhere in town, some of the houses were not yet taken due to lack of infrastructure.