Tinubu’s Govt Inaugurates Committee on Sale of Emefiele’s 753 Duplexes: “Nigerians Are Watching”

• Federal government has formed a 12-member committee to manage 753 houses in Abuja, recovered from former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele
• The ministerial committee has Dr. Shuaib Belgore, the permanent secretary, as chairman and other members were directed by President Tinubu to sell the houses to Nigerians via an online portal
• Emefiele, arrested in June 2023, was slammed with multiple charges, including acquiring the estate through illicit means, as part of the EFCC's largest single recovery since 2003

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

FCT, Abuja - On Monday, May 26, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc Ahmed Dangiwa, inaugurated a 12-member ministerial committee on the 753-unit housing estate recovered from Godwin Emefiele, located at Lokogoma district, Abuja.

Recall that the estate was handed over to the ministry by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), last week, in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

President Bola Tinubu also directed that the forfeited housing estate should be completed.

However, Dangiwa told the inspection team, during the physical handover of the property, that he would establish a technical committee to carry out quality assessment tests on the structures within the estate.

Committee members

As reported by Vanguard, the ministerial committee has Dr. Shuaib Belgore, the Permanent Secretary, as chairman.

Other members include; Mr. Funsho Alabi, Director, Office of the Permanent Secretary – Alternate Chairman; QS Temitope Pemi, Director, Public Building and Housing Development – Secretary; ESV Collins Alabi, Director, Lands and Housing Development – Member; Engr. Hikmat Toyin Aderibigbe, Director, Engineering Services – Member; and Margaret Ojewemimo Adejobi, Director, Urban and Regional Planning – Member, among others.

Committee to develop, allocate 753 houses

The committee’s terms of reference include:

• Conducting a thorough structural and integrity test of the buildings;
• Ascertaining the number and status of the housing units;
• Evaluating the value of existing work done through proper surveying and market valuation;
• Assessing the cost of completing internal roads, power, water, security infrastructure, and public amenities;
• Developing standardized architectural and finishing guides for consistency and quality assurance;
• Proposing a clear, transparent, and inclusive strategy for the disposal and allocation of the housing units to Nigerians, based on affordability, equity, and public access through the Renewed Hope Housing Portal;
• Designing a robust communication and public engagement plan that builds public confidence; and
• Ensuring inter-agency coordination with stakeholders like EFCC, FCTA, and utility providers, while submitting a preliminary report within four weeks from today.

While inaugurating the committee in Abuja on Monday, Dangiwa charged members to consider their assignment as a national call to duty.

He said:

“Nigerians are watching, and they want to see results. They want to see homes completed and allocated transparently. They want to see government working for them.”

Read more on Emefiele's 753 duplexes

• Shehu Sani speaks on how Tinubu's govt should share Emefiele's 753 duplexes

FG's portal Nigerians can apply to buy Emefiele's 753 duplexes

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the federal government announced plans to sell the 753-unit Estate linked to Emefiele recovered by the EFCC.

Although the sales have not officially started, FG promises that it will be sold to ordinary Nigerians.

The sale will be conducted via the federal government portal and is expected to come with flexible payment options.

Source: Legit.ng