Expert Blames Government for Building Collapse, Setback in Sector

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A housing and estate investor, My-Ace China, has blamed the government for the incessant building collapse across the country.

China, popularly known as Mayor of Housing, said the gap between real estate investors and government agencies has caused serious damage to structural development in the country.

The real estate expert, who spoke yesterday during a motivational programme he organised for the youths in Port Harcourt, noted that many persons have lost their lives as a result of quack building constructions approved by government agencies.

China also noted the lacuna between practitioners and government agencies, which has made them (government and practitioners), appears as if they are rivals, instead of partners in advancing the development of the sector.

He said: “On problems found in the real estate sector, I can say it is the lacuna between practitioners and the government agencies. Look at Lagos; they are bringing down some buildings. “Guess what? Institutions of government approved these buildings, inspected them, and collected levies from them, but they now demolishing them.

“The problem is difficulty in getting title documents and difficulty in separation of quacks from genuine ones. There is a total lack of government incentive, and when you come in, instead of supporting us, they antagonise you. The first thing the government needs to do is bring us closer. Instead, they create obstacles as if we are enemies.”

China expressed: “I expect to see a government that has a real estate practitioner as its adviser. They use those who do not know anything in our field. They come in and create problems by setting unreasonable hurdles. By the time the investors overcome those obstacles, they no longer care about the ordinary people but their profit.”

He said the space between politics and practice is too wide, adding: “The policies are not practical. When the practitioners climb that mountain, they no longer care about the people.”

Speaking on the programme, China said the young people find it difficult to get real success stories, and so they suffer a huge inspiration deficit, adding that some of them feel lost when they go through the same trials other people have passed through.

He said his target is to pull people out of poverty with his life story, starting with the youths. “Many do not know the power of telling their stories. We underrate the power of our story. I am here to teach the youths on personal development for future prosperity,” he said.