Writing by Ali Muhammad Rabi’u;Editing by Abubakar Hamza.
Federal government says it is committed to inclusive dialogue,cooperative federalism and evidence based policy making aimed at addressing the nation’s housing and Urban development challenges.
Minister of Housing and Urban Development,Ahmed Dangiwa stated this while speaking at the 14th National Council on Lands,Housing and Urban Development held in Ilorin,Kwara state.
Represented by the Director, Planing, research and statistics ,federal ministry of Housing and Urban Development Alhaji Muktar Iliyasu the minister said the council meeting represent the highest decision making body of the federal ministry of housing in the country.
According to him the theme of this year’s Council Meeting is both timely and strategic,stressing that it reflects the urgent need to respond holistically to the pressures of rapid urbanisation, population growth, climate concerns, and the widening housing deficit across the country.
Dangiwa explained that during the period the Council will engage in a carefully structured programme designed to ensure robust technical engagement, policy coherence, and actionable outcomes.
He said the technical sessions will provide the critical foundation for the Council, through exclusive deliberation on sectoral issues, review memoranda, assess implementation progress of previous Council decisions, as well as refine policy proposals for higher-level consideration.
The minister noted that the engagement of the permanent Secretaries will further examined, harmonised, and strengthened the policies from an administrative and inter-governmental coordination perspective.
He maintained that the climax of the programme will ensure collective adoption of the policy decisions resolutions, and strategic directions for the housing and urban development sector by the Minister and Commissioners from across the Federation.
Dangiwa explained that thematic focus of this Council has been carefully articulated around eight critical areas, which included policy formulation implementation,institutional strengthening,effective land management and administration among others .
In her remarks ,the permanent Secretary,Kwara state ministry of Housing and Urban Development ,Alhaji Risikat Balogun said as urbanisation is progressing there is the need to think of a holistic process of reducing the issue of housing deficit.
She thanked the federal government and the ministry for hosting the council meeting in the state .
In an address the ,Kwara state Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Dr Segun Ogunshola said there are a lot of challenges affecting the achievement of Provision of housing in the state and the country in general.
He said the state government is making effort to find a lasting solution to the land and housing deficit in the state.
The commissioner noted that municipal has been upgraded through the provisions of water , roads network and other infrastructure to support it’s beautification.
Ali Muhammad Rabi’u.
