Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Musa Ahmed Dangiwa, has urged Katsina State Government to explore collaboration with key agencies in the Federal housing ministry in order to increase access to affordable housing for the indigenes of the state.
Dangiwa said this when the Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umar Radda, visited him in his office.
The housing agencies in the ministry are the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Federal Housing Authority, and Family Homes Funds.
Assuring the governor of the Ministry’s support to ensure such collaboration work, the Minister noted that working together could increase the stock of affordable housing in Katsina state and would allow the people of Katsina access to quality home within their reach.
Encouraging the Governor further on collaborative efforts to improve the housing landscape of Katsina state, Dangiwa advised the governor to partner with the ministry towards building new cities by leveraging on Public Private Partnerships with local and international players in housing sector as well as explore innovative housing finance.
“These cities will not only address our growing urbanization challenges but also serve as beacons of progress and modernity. They will be designed with sustainability, inclusivity, and economic viability at their core, reflecting the best practices in urban planning,” Dangiwa remarked.
He charged the governor with championing the adoption and passage of mortgage foreclosure laws by the Katsina State House of Assembly, affirming the legislative action is key to creating an enabling environment for private sector investment in housing, stimulating economic growth, and providing our citizens with access to affordable housing.
Accordingly, the Minister disclosed that series of housing reforms have been outlined to enable the ministry fulfill its mandate of ensuring that Nigerian access affordable and quality housing in line with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to the Minister, the ministry would be embarking on a Stakeholder Engagement Drive with State Governors nationwide to ensure that the housing sector contributes its quota in the nation’s economic growth and creation of jobs for the teeming youths across the country while making sure affordable housing is within the reach of Nigerians.
Speaking earlier, the Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umar Radda, informed the Minister that he was in the Ministry to seek collaboration with the Ministry to tap from the wealth of knowledge of the building professionals therein in achieving the vision of Katsina state government of urban renewal and expanding the city.
He disclosed that urban renewal and affordable housing for the people of Katsina state has been the major focus of his administration.
The Governor added that his administration has begun the process of developing a master plan for the state as the old one expired three years ago.
He implored the Permanent Secretary and directors of the Ministry to accord the Ministers their unalloyed support and loyalty to enable them focus on and succeed in the assignment given to them by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
