Our Promise Of Change Has Been Fulfilled – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration has fulfilled the promise of change to Nigerians.

Buhari stated this on Tuesday in when he presented keys to some new homeowners at the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) Zuba, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

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In his remarks at the estate’s inauguration, the President urged the beneficiaries to coexist in peace and harmony. The estate, which spans 18.5 hectares of land and has 748 units of various housing types in 75 blocks, was inaugurated.

According to him, ‘‘I convey my hearty congratulations to the new homeowners in this estate. Our promise of change has been fulfilled for you.’’ 

He urged estate residents to actively cooperate with the FHA to maintain the building and maintain environmental safety.

The President congratulated FHA’s Chairman, Managing Director, Members of the Board, and Staff on the successful completion of the Estate and said that the endeavor was just another illustration of his administration’s dedication to helping people escape poverty.

‘‘Housing supply is one of the indices of multi-dimensional poverty that challenges our people and the completion of this estate provides a solution for the beneficiaries.

‘‘The new home owners who benefit from this estate have taken a step up on the ladder of prosperity and away from poverty,’’ he said.

President Buhari asked the management of FHA to persevere in delivering other projects at various levels of construction and development across the states, acknowledging that more Nigerians are waiting to benefit from the mass housing project.

The aggressive nationwide provision of infrastructure, he said, is “one of the measures that we have deliberately deployed to attack poverty, create prosperity, and develop our economy,” noting that such investments also result in the creation of employment opportunities for artisans and other skilled members of society.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the completion of the project was a product of team work and leadership by the President, who gave approval for appointments into the leadership of FHA Board and Management.

‘‘Instead of abandoned projects, we now have 748 completed housing units for Nigerians and their families to shelter,’’ he said, adding that 75 contractors were engaged in the course of the project, while over 13,000 Nigerians were employed both directly and indirectly.

Fashola told the President that the 5 beneficiaries who received keys to their flats, including Tina Orkpe, Salisu Iliyasu, Ado Maude, Rabina Abdulkadir and Flight Sgt. Musa Mohammed, subscribed through FHA Rent-to-Own delivery model.

‘‘Although many of the beneficiaries of this project will never meet the President personally, your policies and programmes have met them personally at the point of their needs,’’ he said.     

In his remarks, Chairman, Board of Directors, FHA, Senator Shuaibu Lawal thanked the President for providing the grant of N7.5billion for the project to commence in May 2018.

‘‘Without that grant, which served as the seed money, this project would not have been possible. Mr President, you take all the credit for what we are seeing here today,’’ he said.

Lawal praised the Minister of Works and Housing, FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello, for their fervent commitment to the project, noting that the Estate is suitable for Nigerians who cannot afford residences in locations like Maitama and Asokoro in the FCT.

Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, managing director and chief executive officer of FHA, described the project’s commissioning as a manifestation of the President’s innovative and purposeful housing strategy. The President authorized the grant to FHA in accordance with his promise to provide housing for Nigerians.

He said the Authority delivered the project at a total cost of N9.5billion with the subvention of N7.5billion from the Federal Government.

He explained that the balance of 2billion of construction cost came from the Authority’s other projects which was ploughed into to complete the estate.

Ashafa disclosed that the Authority has also commenced the development of Bwari Estate, Abuja near the Nigeria Law School, which will deliver 336 units of various houses under the first phase of the project.

He added the proposed Diaspora City initiative, which targets Nigerians in the Diaspora, is in progress, with intention of extending the programme to all the regions of the country, with Abuja as the pilot scheme.