Dangiwa: FG Planning 1.25m Jobs with 50,000 Housing Estates Nationwide

.Quantity surveyors decry low patronage by govt

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa yesterday said the planned 50,000 housing units nationwide will help generate over 1.2 million direct and indirect jobs.

Speaking at the 2024 Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN) conference in Abuja, the minister noted that the ‘Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme’ is designed to be a catalyst for economic growth.

“The construction and development of these new areas will generate employment opportunities, stimulate local businesses, and attract investments. The 50,000 units that we plan to deliver under phase 1 will create 1,250,000 direct and indirect construction jobs for architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, surveyors, masons, bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, iron benders etc.

“This is in addition to the value chain effects of purchase, supply of building materials, businesses around the construction sites, etc,” Dangiwa stated.

Dangiwa argued that Nigeria’ was at a juncture where skills and innovations must align with the evolving demands of the society, thereby requiring a robust assessment and periodic appraisal of current capabilities.

According to the minister, the current state of housing in the country is far from where it ought to be, with the dual challenge of inadequate housing supply to meet population growth and sub-standard housing.

He stated that this does not meet the conditions of habitability, safety & security, comfort, sanitation, accessibility, infrastructure, social amenities, and socio-cultural adequacy as set out by UN and World Health Organisation (WHO).

Since assumption of office, Dangiwa said that the ministry has developed and  commenced the implementation of a comprehensive and holistic plan of action to guide it in the implementation of reforms and initiatives that will help rewrite the housing and urban landscape.

“So far, we have done groundbreaking for two Renewed Hope Cities under public and private sector (FCT and Kano), and Renewed Hope Estates in 12 States (Ebonyi, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Osun, Benue, Nasarawa, Oyo, Katsina, Yobe, Gombe and Sokoto) making a total of 6,612 homes,” he added.

In his remarks, President QSRBN, Obafemi  Onashile, said that one of the major challenges was the lack of patronage and commissioning of its members in government projects, stressing that other professionals in the construction industry were suffering the same fate.

“And so the first major challenge is getting work, getting commissions for QSRBN to earn a living. The second challenge is the perceived lack of full understanding of the importance of QSRBN to the economy of the nation.

“And that’s one of the reasons why we have chosen the theme for this year’s annual assembly to showcase the capacity and capabilities in contributing to the economy, and for the government to understand this, and ensure that they get the board to adequately contribute.

“The contribution of quantity surveyors to the economy is exponential compared to the compensation or remuneration of the quantity surveyors,“ he stated.

He said that while there could be billions in budget, but the eventual disbursement is barely less than 40 per cent.

“Quantity Surveyors are very important to capital projects. They’re very important to budgeting. And that’s, again, one of the things we’re advocating for the government to be aware of.

Let quantity participate in infrastructure development, in budgeting for them, and in also executing them,” he advised.