FHA rejigs operations, sets up estates’ maintenance subsidiary

THERE were indications last week that a nation-wide move to restructure and upgrade Federal government’s housing estates may well be underway, as fresh moves were initiated to decentralise the operation of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).

Under the new plan unfolded last week, FHA will no longer be responsible for the sale and maintenance of its estates nationwide, a new subsidiary is being incorporated to handle the maintenance of estates .

The new company is known as FHA Facilities Management Company Limited while FHA Mortgage bank, and another subsidiary would handle the marketing of FHA estates.

FHA’s Managing Director, Professor Mohammed Al-Amin made this known at a meeting with the Lugbe Estate Residents Association in the Federal Capital, Abuja.

Al-Amin said the authority was adopting what he termed the FHA Tripod model of construction, marketing and maintenance to enable it concentrate on improving the quality of its buildings and the timeline for delivery while the other two functions would be undertaken entirely by subsidiary companies.

He said the FHA was poised to commence holistic regeneration and upgrade of its estates nationwide beginning with Gwarinpa Urban Renewal Programme (GUREP), and subsequently Maitama Urban Renewal Programme (MUREC) and Lugbe Urban Renewal Programme (LUREC).

Al-Amin, a professor of Urban Environment said he was committed to restoring green areas in all the Authority’s estates as a way of enhancing the quality of life of the residents.

Towards that end, he said a Monthly Environmental Sanitation (MES) programme would soon start in all the estates during which staff of the Authority would join residents to clean up the various estates.

He assured the residents that a new joint consultative committee of senior staff of the authority and the residents would soon be set up to create a platform for closer interaction between the two parties.

Al-Amin frowned at past abuses of spaces meant for services, utilities and recreation in the Authority’s estates, giving and assurance that such instances would be reviewed on a case by case basis.
He also told the residents that the authority was working closely with the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority (FCDA) on a proposal to integrate Lugbe into the Federal Capital City, a development which when implemented would transform the area with world class infrastructure.
As an interim measure, he said work would commence immediately to clear blocked drains and patch pot holes on the roads within the estate.

Earlier, the Chairman, Lugbe Estate Central Residents Association, Mr. Odelana Adesina, who received the FHA Managing Director and his Management Team, praised Al-Amin for being the first FHA chief executive to hold such engagement with them since the estate was built.

He called for urgent intervention by the FHA to address the decaying road network in the estate, the acute water supply shortage and the security challenges facing residents.

Odelana also said the residents would like to be carried along in the conception and implementation of the Authority’s programmes for the estate and urged the Managing Director to create a forum for regular interaction with residents.

Chairmen and secretaries of the residents associations of the various segments of the estate were in attendance as well as the entire Management Team and other top officials of the FHA.