‘GOV. SANWO-OLU WILL COMPLETE ALL ONGOING PROJECTS BEFORE STARTING NEW ONES’ – Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai
By Oki Samson
L-R: Mr. Abdulhakeem Ayodeji Amodu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Lagos State; ESV Adedotun Bamgbola, Chairman, Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) Lagos branch and Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, Honourable Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Housing during a courtesy visits by Executive members of Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) Lagos branch to the Ministry at Alausa, Ikeja.
Lagos Rent-to-Own is now more flexible
NIESV visits team member, SSA Ayodeji Amodu
It’s been a beehive of activities for the Ministry of Housing in Lagos since Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu came into saddle as Governor of Lagos state. The reason is simple! The immense housing deficit in Lagos must get a solution.
The first task is to get round pegs in round holes. And that’s what has happened with the appointment of Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai and Toke Benson-Awoyinka as Commissioner and Special Adviser for Housing respectively. The latest which is the appointment of Abdulhakeem Ayodeji Amodu as Senior Special Assistant for Housing is another one that has received applause.
With the marching orders to complete all abandoned housing projects, the core professionals have began on a high, ‘The Governor of the state is the one driving the ministry. As professionals in the sector, we know we have to give it our best’ were the words of Hon. Akinderu-Fatai when the Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) Lagos branch paid a courtesy visit to the ministry on the appointment of one of their own as the new SSA in person of ESV Ayodeji Amodu.
L-R: ESV Patunola Ajayi, Estate; Mr. Abdulhakeem Ayodeji Amodu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Lagos State; ESV Biodun Olapade; Hon. Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, Honourable Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Housing; ESV Adedotun Bamgbola, Chairman, Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) Lagos branch; ESV Olabisi Demola-Alade, Vice Chairman; and Mrs. Adeola Salako, Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Housing during a courtesy visits by Executive members of Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) Lagos branch to the Ministry at Alausa, Ikeja.
The commissioner continued: ‘With over 4000 uncompleted projects, the Governor has directed that no new projects, we must finish the old ones and we are on top of it. We have done 492 units, we are moving to 360 units that will be ready in Igbogbo, 700 units in Sangotedo in the next 6 months, 600 units in Epe, and we are also thinking to create two more estates in Egan by next year’
‘We also continued the programme we met on ground. Mortgage is not something people can easily key into. If we ask for 30% how many can bring it but government has reduced it to 5% in Rent to Own policy meant for first time buyers. The idea is pay 33.3% of your annual salary at the rate of 6% over the course of 10years. Every month as you pay, you have it at the back of your mind that you are owning the house. We will continue and consolidate the programme’, the Commissioner said.
Leading the professional body key to the success of the housing ministry on the courtesy visit is the Chairman of Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) Lagos branch, ESV Adedotun Bamgbola. He was accompanied by a team comprising ESV Olabisi Demola-Alade, the Vice Chairman, ESV Olaniyi Olagoke, Secretary, ESV V.O Ewene, ESV Mustapha Ewenla, PR, and ESV Biodun Olapade, a man with 30 years cognate experience in the industry.
The Chairman speaking, ‘We are here to stretch our hands of fellowship to the Commissioner, SA and SSA in order to help you fulfill the vision of the Governor for housing. We perceive that you are ready to achieve the goal. We have our people within and outside the ministry but what we can achieve as a collective will boost your efforts. We have a research and development committee with members from ministries, academia and private practice. We have skills in various areas from valuation to property development to agency, to project management, and facility management. We will make ourselves available for whatever request you demand from us.’
In his response, ESV Ayodeji Amodu, the new Senior Special Assistant was full of praises. ‘I will like to thank my Chairman who has taken it upon himself to visit and the NIESV members who have come to give me the necessary backing as an estate valuer of repute. I specially the honourable commissioner for his leadership, I also thank all the HODs in the ministry of housing. I have come to work as a team player. The Governor has interest in developing housing, we all in the ministry will ensure that affordable housing will become reality. NIESV has shown that they will give us professional advice that will help the ministry.’
All the heads of departments in the ministry of housing were present to receive the visiting NIESV members and also show their support for the new appointee, the man they now call ‘Triple A’. The directors include Shade Abdul, Finance; ESV Patunola Ajayi, Estate; TPL Ayo Elegbede, Physical Planning; Engr. Olaniyan, Engineering Services; QS Sanusi, Quantity Surveying; Mrs Oyewo, IT; Mr. Oshodi, Budget and Planning; Mrs. Adesanya, Procurement, A.K.J. Shadare, Administration; and Mrs. Adeola Salako, the excellent woman at the helms of Public Affairs.
