Features
Addressing The Housing Deficit In Nigeria
By most accounts, Nigeria
has yet to develop an effective and workable mortgage mechanism that will enable citizens to own houses and participate in the housing for all initiative in a more pragmatic way.
Available records indicate that attempts by successive governments since the country’s independence in 1960 to address the housing challenge have not yielded the desired results.
Ironically, gigantic housing programmes initiated by successive administrations since independence have been jettisoned because of what observers describe as policy somersaults.
Statistics showed that between 1973 and 2006, more than 30,000 housing units were constructed by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) but these houses have also failed to tackle the nation’s housing deficit.
Besides, the sale of Federal Government property, including government-owned staff quarters, to their occupants by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration has also failed to remedy the situation.
As laudable as the sale of the government quarters sounds, analysts insist that the policy ought to have been sustained to enable it to have a lasting impact.
They note that even the public-private partnership in housing delivery, which was introduced by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, has equally failed to reduce the housing deficit.
This is because most Nigerians, especially civil servants, still cannot afford the exorbitant cost of buying or renting houses built by private developers.
For instance, it is absolutely difficult for an average civil servant earning N18,000 minimum wage to buy a one-bedroom apartment from private estate developers in Abuja or anywhere in the country.
A market survey shows that a two-bedroom apartment, offered by private estate developers in Abuja, costs between N15 million and N25 million.
This, perhaps, underscores the concern expressed by the World Bank on the widening housing deficit in Nigeria.
Statistics released by the bank revealed that Nigeria would require N59.5 trillion to bridge the spiralling housing deficit of 17 million units.
This development aptly highlights the need for the government at all levels to begin to think of how to embark on direct massive construction of houses in major cities and towns across the country, so as to cut down the housing deficit.
However, Dr Omobola Johnson, the Supervising Minister of Science and Technology, urged all stakeholders in the building and construction industry to explore avenues of meeting the growing housing needs of the citizens through innovative strategies.
The minister, who spoke at a recent International Housing Summit in Abuja, said that researchers have argued that Nigeria, with an estimated population of 170 million, required at least additional 820,000 housing units per annum.
Nevertheless, Dr Abiodun Talabi, the Director of Technology Acquisition and Assessment in the ministry, stressed that the provision of affordable housing would entail the active input of the public and private sectors as well as the citizens.
“Achieving affordable housing in Nigeria requires dogged determination on the part of government, private sector and citizenry towards surmounting the challenge,’’ he said. All the same, Mr Adeyemi Williams, a private property consultant, urged the Federal Government to adopt the social housing scheme in its efforts to address the housing deficit facing the country.
Social housing scheme is the provision of affordable houses by the state or non-profit organisations or by the combination of the two.
Williams said that the key objective of a social housing scheme was to provide accommodation which would be particularly affordable to low-income earners.
He said that rents charged on housing units under the scheme were usually kept low through government subsidy.
“The social housing scheme should be governed by a strictly defined system of rent control to ensure that rents are kept low.
“Unlike the private sector in which rents are dictated by the landlord, houses in a social housing scheme, on the other hand, are allocated according to the needs of the people.
“Each social landlord operates an allocation policy, stating in advance what factors will be taken into account when deciding who gets preference,” he said.
Industry experts, nonetheless, cite the inability of the Federal Government to amend the Land Use Act of 1978, which vests all land in the hands of government, as a major obstacle to the actualisation of the housing for all initiative.
However, Mr Tunde Makanjuola, a property consultant, urged the three tiers of government to reduce the trouble, which people often encountered while processing title deeds on landed properties, so as to boost investment in real estate.
He noted that less than three per cent of landlords in the country had valid title deeds on their landed property.
As a result, only about three per cent of property owners were paying taxes on their property, as there was no way of mounting surveillance on the remaining 97 per cent, he added.
“This means that many illegalities were being perpetrated in transactions on landed property, while the government is being short-changed.
“The proceeds from taxes levied on property can be used to address the current housing problems facing the country,’’ he said.
Makanjuola, nonetheless, urged the government to create a database on property owners to ensure their proper registration and regulation.
“This will help the government to keep track of any transaction on landed property, while reducing problems caused by fraudulent property agents and family land owners,’’ he said. Makanjuola argued that property tax was a more stable way of generating revenue than other forms of taxes.
“If the governments can exploit this avenue of revenue generation, it would be useful in efforts to provide the needed infrastructure.
“Also, property owners will be able to exploit the potential of their property to the fullest because the title can be used as collateral to get loans for other investments,’’ he said.
Besides, Makanjuola called for the establishment of a land commission that would be empowered to formulate policies on land matters, title registration and property development.
Acknowledging the gravity of the housing challenge in Nigeria, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has initiated plans to construct N960-billion housing estates for workers in all the 36 states, including the FCT.
The project, which involves the construction of affordable houses, is being executed in concert with Kriston Lally EPC Nig. Ltd., a private property developer.
The NLC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the project with the company on April 6, 2013.
“To make the scheme worker-friendly, the interest rate is put at 2 per cent of the total amount of the property per annum; and payment can be spread over five, 10 or 15 years, depending on the choice of each subscriber,’’ Comrade Abdulwahab Omar, the NLC President, said.
The labour leader said that the houses would comprise two and three-bedroom bungalows, semi-detached or fully-detached bungalows; blocks of two and three-bedroom flats; as well as four-bedroom semi-detached and fully-detached duplexes.
Mr Mustapha Madawaki, the Group Managing Director of Kriston Lally EPC Nig. Ltd., said that President Jonathan would perform the groundbreaking ceremony of the housing project.
“All the equipment for block making and materials for the construction of the houses have been imported,’’ he said.
Apart from this, Mr Bobboi Kaigama, the National President, Trade Union Congress (TUC), also said that the union had concluded arrangements to build 100 houses for its members and other citizens in Taraba State.
He said that the houses were the first set of the 500 houses that would be built in the state by the congress.
Kaigama said that the project would be executed in partnership with the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company. He said that contributors to the National Housing Fund across the country would benefit from the scheme. Kaigama said that the project was aimed at minimising the housing deficit in the state, adding that it would particularly cater for the housing needs of civil servants.
He pledged that the 100 houses would be delivered to the beneficiaries before the end of the year.
All in all, mortgage experts underscore the need to make concerted efforts to ease the process of obtaining mortgage loans in the country.
“If the citizens are given liberal access to mortgage loans with good interest rates; many people will be encouraged to own houses and the current housing deficit in the country will be reduced considerably,’’ some say.
Adamu is of the News Agency of Nigeria.
Sani Adamu
Wife of Late Human Rights Activist, Dr Yewande Cole-Ajibola, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Commissioner for Housing, Mr Bosun Jeje and Commissioner for Finance, Mr Ayo Gbeleyi, at the inauguration of Gbagada Housing Estate in Lagos recently.
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku