Federal Ministry of
Works and Housing (FMWH)
Federal Republic of Nigeria
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Minister Federal Ministry Of Works Engr. David Umahi.
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Sep
21
2023

LATEST PRESS

FG Will No Longer Accept Road Contract Certificate for Payment Generated by One Person – Umahi

.....No one will make unnecessary request during road construction – Eleme LGA Chairman.


The Honourable Minister of Works H.E Sen (Engr) David Nweze Umahi has remarked that the Federal Government will no longer accept road contract certificate for payment generated by one person, he made this statement while inspecting some roads within Rivers and Akwa Ibom States on Wednesday.

 

He said “No longer will certificate for payment be generated by one person, contractor must sign it, resident engineer as well. state controllers, regional controllers, and they will all endure inspections are done, state Commissioners of Works shall generate work done, prepare the certificate with calculations and geotechnical reports, sketches and valuation, then they will bring it to me, the moment I see that things are working I will sign within 6hours”.

 

“I have directed that any project that motor users cannot go through the entire length and breadth of the project awarded to a contractor, I will not sign the certificate, contractors must maintain all the roads,  the length and breath within their contract , I am directing the controllers and Directors of the Regions to ensure between Abuja and Port Harcourt they must fix the remedial works within the next 14days” He briefed the press.

 

The Minister, speaking further said “how could a  payment certificate be given for a road that has failed and the contractor is on site and you turn around to blame the leaders, who signs the papers ?, you  sign the paper and originate the certificate but I have directed that enough is enough , they must show me how increase in our contracts come about , anyone can sign a paper for them to pay but as for me I will not sign anything that I don’t know how it came about if you want to do ashphalt continue with it but you must sign a performance bond that the road must not fail within the life time of the project , I want Nigerians to know that overloading is not responsible for failure of the road , most of the contractors have jobs in more than ten locations with two equipment so they cannot cope with the volume of jobs”.

 

The Minister had also   directed that any contractor without COREN Certified Engineer must not be allowed to work, he said any consultant or civil servant that behaved the way they have been behaving their certificate would be withdrawn.

 

Umahi said President Ahmed Bola Tinubu is determined to end the sufferings of the road users in Nigeria, he said “road is everything to this country, road is everything to Commerce, road is everything to Solid Mineral, Medicine, Education, Agriculture and to Food Security".

 

The Honourable Minister was approached by youths of Eleme during his inspection for upgrading of four lanes to six lanes for Eleme junction to Onne junction road projects in Rivers State where he promised them that he would work with the youths to ensure that the road does not remain the same.

 

Earlier the Eleme Local Government Area Chairman, Hon. Obarilomate Ollor who spoke on behalf of the youths said “ I thank the Minister for coming to inspect this road on behalf of Mr President , this bad road has been responsible for the untimely death of so many people and more that ten thousands of vehicles ply this route daily , and from what you have said the youths will cooperate with you to deliver this project and we will not make unnecessary request”.

 

Some of the projects inspected by the Minister in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states included Aba- Port Harcourt road, Bodo Bonny road, Ogoni bridge, Reconstruction of Abak – Ekparakwa –Ette- Ikot Abasi road and the dualization of the East West Road Section four at Eket By Pass.

Sep
15
2023

DFA of Works Ministry Has Fully Complied with FG Directive   The Director of Finance and Account (DFA) in the Ministry of Works, Yusuf Dahiru Girel has fully complied with government’s directive to proceed on posting to another ministry.   The information going on in the media that former DFA of Works has defiled the Federal Government directive on posting is misleading and baseless.   The posting of staff by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) is an internal issue within the Federal Service and no staff has been reported to have refused directive at the Ministry till date.   Members of the public are hereby urged to disregard the information making the round within some sections of the media that there was a drama as to the effect of refusal of posting by any staff within the Ministry. ...

Sep
14
2023

Umahi Announces Intention of Works Ministry to Face Dualized Roads .....We have N431B ready for contractors– Minister of Works The Honourable Minister of Works Engr David Nweze Umahi has announced the Ministry’s intention to focus on most of the dualized roads across the country.  He said, “Why we are here now is to announce our intention to face most of the dualized roads in the country.”   The Minister made these remarks while meeting with all contractors handling road dualization projects and all zonal Directors of the Ministry at the Ministry's Headquarters office in Abuja, today.   “I want to remind you that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is funding 50% percent of the contract sum and that funding goes up to 2025, “he said.   Umahi said “we have N431B of money that is ready for contractors to clear but there is no certificate for it , if you are doing a job under Phase 1, make effort to make claims , if your job involves augmentation go back to your Regional Director for understanding before I sign the certificate , any certificate I sign now , I have to take account for it even when I have left office “.   The Minister tasked the contractors to stick to one lane if their job has not gone up to 50% completion; he said he had also come up with Performance Bond meaning that all new projects would be guaranteed for 10years.   He urged all contractors that have built roads that cannot last up to ten years to write to the Ministry to either stop work or rebuild the road to last 10years, the  Minister warned  contractors that he would not listen to stories of failures on the roads due to  overloading, he enjoined all the contractors to cooperate with him on building roads with concrete technology as it was done both in India and Singapore.   Earlier, Engr. Umahi told the contractors and stakeholders to key into the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, he said this Administration has 18,000kilometre of roads and inherited a contract sum of about N14.1 trillion and out of which N4trillion is being paid in all those projects, some of the projects have lasted between 10 to 20years.   The Minister said some contractors have jerked up the contractor sum by hundred percent and that is the reason they are not getting paid.   “We are going back to the original concept of the projects and the necessity of any additional works and also see how we get a fair deal, expecting an endorsement from the Ministry of what is not acceptable to Nigerian Society of Engineers is not possible “The Minister said.   Engr. Umahi also confirmed that “Mr President understands road infrastructure, If I come before him with a contract of N44B reviewed to N144B contract sum, I must be able to provide details of how the cost came about “. ...

Sep
11
2023

Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Commences Collaboration with National Population Commission (NPC) to Establish Credible Housing Data The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has initiated a landmark collaboration with the National Population Commission (NPC) to address one of Nigeria's most critical data challenges: accurately assessing the extent of the housing deficit in the country.   In a meeting held on Monday, September 11, 2023, the Honorable Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, welcomed a delegation from the National Population Commission, led by Chairman Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra, to formalize this groundbreaking partnership.   For years, Nigeria has struggled with conflicting and unverified figures regarding its housing deficit, with estimates ranging from 17 million to 28 million. These discrepancies have not only been a source of embarrassment but also an obstacle to effective policymaking and strategic planning.   Arc. Dangiwa emphasized the need for accurate, credible, verifiable, and scientifically sound data on the housing deficit and the living conditions of homes across Nigeria. Such data, he said, is essential to develop effective strategies to tackle the housing shortage and ensure that every Nigerian has access to safe and affordable housing.   The collaboration with the National Population Commission, particularly in the context of the upcoming national census, represents a pivotal step in this effort. The census provides a unique opportunity to gather precise and comprehensive data on the housing needs of Nigeria's population.   The term "housing deficit" refers to the inadequacy in the supply of affordable and suitable housing units to meet the needs of the population, reflecting the gap between housing demand and available, safe, and affordable housing stock.   Minister Dangiwa emphasized that the initiative goes beyond mere numbers; it is about improving the quality of life for Nigerians. Adequate housing and proper living conditions are fundamental human rights that contribute to social stability and economic development.   The collaboration with the National Population Commission will involve the design and implementation of survey instruments tailored to address housing-related questions. By working together, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the NPC aim to establish accurate and credible data on the housing deficit, providing a solid foundation for housing policy design and planning.   The Minister extended his appreciation to Chairman Hon. Nasir Isa Kwarra for his dedication to this cause and expressed anticipation for productive discussions and collaboration in the coming months. ...

First First First First

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

May
08
2023

SHELTER AFRIQUE 42ND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, TRANSCORP HILTON HOTEL, ABUJA NIGERIA

OTHER NEWS

Feb
22
2023

Oyo People Eulogise FG For Infrastructure Development

The people of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state were full of joy and gratitude as the Federal Government commissioned  and handed  over a 0.75 kilometre  internal road to the National Centre for Generic and Biotechnology Agency, ( NACGRAB) located at  the National Cereals Research Institute Complex in Ibadan in  Oyo State rehabilitated by the Federal Ministry of works and Housing.

Speaking at the occasion, the Honourable Minister of Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, represented by the Federal Controller of Works, Oyo State, Engineer Kayode Ibrahim revealed that Oyo State is benefitting tremendiously from the  federal government road projects. He said, " I can testify that a number of roads have received attention, from Lagos to Ibadan and Shagamu to Ibadan roads. We are pushing to finish them before May,2023."

Fashola added that  "When you go round the state you will see that work is going on in many places at a great speed." He said that the Ibadan-Ife - Ilesa road was a night mare to road users before now, adding that Iwo road to Asejire to Ife is also presently receiving massive attention .

The Minister also confirmed that the contract for the rehabilitation of Ibadan - Oyo road had been awarded and the contractors are ready to hit the ground running.

He also disclosed that "Reynolds Construction Company, (RCC) is working round the clock on the Oyo Ogbomosho road with the aim of connecting it to the highway at the end of this year." The Minister also disclosed that work is  on going at the Ogbomosho road because all obstacles had been removed and funds also   released. 

Babatunde Fashola in the same vain said that  construction work is currently on going in a session  at Oke - Ogun called Okerete from Shaki which is about a hundred kilometres, this previous administration had abandoned. 

He also said that Isaleadini road that was abandoned for long  and Okeohun road are receiving attention while road users are currently plying them freely with ease. 

The Minister said other projects implemented by the Buhari administration in Oyo State include, the school of Survey, an internal road at University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan and Moor Plantation.

In his welcome address,  the Director of The National Centre for Generic and Biotechnology,( NACGRAB) Dr. Anthony Okere who was represented by Dr. Abisoye Ojo  expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the internal road intervention project. The Director said access road to the Animal Generic Resource and Field in NACGRAB had worsened over the years due to gully erosion and transportion  of  farm equipments, livestock and their feeds as well as  mobility of staff and guests of the Centre had been a nightmare but with the rehabilitation of the road by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing it has become a thing of the past.

Officials  of some other Federal organisations such as the National Cereal Institute, Regional Office of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Nigerian Institute of Animal Science with office and residential accommodation within the NCRI Complex expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for the work done. 

This road network will benefit about fourteen organisations both state and federal, who are being accommodated within the complex.

SPEECHES

May
15
2023

Remarks At The Shelter Afrique 2023 42nd AGM At The Roundtable Session Of African Ministers With The Theme “The Data Question – Which Are The Real Numbers? Harmonization Of Housing Market Data In Sub-Saharan Africa”

I would like to start my intervention by acknowledging the importance of Data as a critical development and planning tool.

The use of data for planning and decision making by those with the requisite skills, capacity and rigour can lead to predictable, orderly and measurable results.

But there are caveats.

The data must be reliable. It must be collected or gathered from verifiable sources. Its integrity must be unimpeachable.

Data can be dangerous in the hands of the unskilled. I can only equate the degree of danger to leaving nuclear weapons deployment codes in the hands of an unstable person.

It puts the entire planet in peril.

This is why I am delighted to have a speaking opportunity at this most important roundtable about the data question in the Housing market in Sub-Saharan Africa.

A pleasant news in this regard is to inform you that Nigeria will very shortly be conducting a Housing and population census across the country, and with it, we hope to gather data about our people’s housing needs and use this to plan and implement policies, programmes and projects to address any verified needs.

But while this is still in the offing, my most important message to this session is this:

“Africans should stop binging on deficits.”

I say this because all too often, we seem too eager to accept, own and propagate the worst narratives about our countries and our continent, based on data whose sources or integrity are unproven.

At one time we were referred to as the “Dark Continent,” yet our human and material resources built and are sustaining some of the most prosperous societies on earth.

But we never pushed back on the inhuman economic model that created such inequality.

Instead, we seemed too anxious to please and deploy a mindset of surrender and pity.

Thankfully, that mindset is changing, and I daresay not quickly enough.

And it is in this context that I wish to address the question of housing data.

In my tenure of office as Lagos State Governor, between 2012-2015 we delivered 200 units of houses to members of the public every month, over a three-year period.

At the same time other Governors launched and successfully executed housing projects across most of our 36 states, and so did members of the private sector.

Regrettably, it seemed that nobody was ready to take account of the delivery of even 1 (ONE) unit of housing.

There was a fixation and a binge on a supposed 17 million housing deficit; and I will say a few things about that number shortly.

The point I am making here, which needs to be repeated is that by logical and accountable use of data, if there was a need of 17 million and 1 unit was provided, one would expect that the need would reduce by 1 (ONE).

Unfortunately, that was not the case. In a seeming desperation to race to the bottom, binge on the deficit and perhaps unleash a “Nuclear War on Housing” the “deficit” grew to 19 million, later to 22 million and just a few days ago to 28 million according to announcers who cannot point to a source.

All these figures without a basis.

Of course, I took the view that as Housing Minister, my success depended on working with credible data.

So I went in search of the data.

Everybody who had asserted the deficit of 17 million that I asked about the source only pointed me further ahead, almost like the search for a house without an address.

Nobody knew where it came from, but they all loved it and were ready to assert it. Indeed, I think they might have thought that something was wrong with me about finding out the truth.

Happily, the source of the “data” of a housing deficit of 17 million did not prove eternally elusive. I eventually found where it came from.

It was in the PREFACE to the 2012 National Housing Policy signed by the Minister then in charge of the Ministry of Housing, 3 (THREE) years before I took office.

I put a telephone call through to the Minister, who admitted to the preface but said it was prepared by aides and the pressure of work did not allow sufficient vetting.

Needless to say, the Minister confirmed that the Data has no verifiable basis. Therefore, I say to those who still choose to live by it, I wish them well on a journey to the unknown from an unknown destination.

To right-thinking and well-meaning people, I urge you to sensibly disown this baseless data and invite you to let us work together like rational people, using what we know while we await the results of the National Housing and Population Census for 2023.

And to the question what do we know, I say that the last time I checked with our National Bureau of Statistics, (admittedly a few years ago), there was a reliable household survey of about 35 million households in Nigeria; a household representing one family unit.

If we set that nebulous figure of 17 million housing deficit against the verifiable household data of 35 million Households, it would suggest that almost half of the population is in deficit of housing.

I leave you all to square that circle; but my view is that this offends logic and what we know.

Is there a housing deficit?

Of course, there is. I am the first to admit it.

How should we approach it?

My view is again to use what is proven, which is that globally, more people are moving towards cities in the last 50 years than at any time before in our human existence; in a trend now defined as rapid urbanization.

We also know from economic principles that when there is an increased demand for a service, commodity or product without corresponding supply, there will be shortages and price increases. This is also verifiable.

Using these verifiable principles, I submit that the housing deficit in Nigeria and most parts of the continent and the world is more pronounced in urban centres than in rural areas.

While awaiting reliable census data, my approach has been to concentrate on housing supply and construction activities in the urban centres of our states, even as I am mindful of the existence of empty houses in the same urban centres.

I know that many of those struggling for accommodation in the cities have left one form of shelter unused or under utilized in our rural areas.

I also know that housing provision must look seriously at the rental side, while trying to increase ownership.

I know that a lot more needs to be done to free up any obstacles that prevent people from renting or acquiring many empty houses that we see in our urban centres.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, my thoughts are not perfect and they may not provide all the answers, but they represent my convictions about how to approach data use in solving our problems.

I hope our team of experts will move the conversation significantly forward; as I believe that we cannot afford to be less than most diligent in the execution of the 2023 National Housing and Population Census.

It should tell us many things if conducted diligently.

Thank you for listening.

Highways Code & Manual
Ongoing Projects

PHOTO NEWS

Sep
21
2023

#RENEWEDHOPE…. THE HONOURABLE MINISTER, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WORKS, H.E. SEN (ENGR) DAVID NWEZE UMAHI, CON DURING THE INSPECTION OF THE DUALISATION OF THE OUTSTANDING PORTION OF CALABAR–ODUKPANI–ITU–IKOT EKPENE ROAD (OBOKUN–GAS POWER PLANT) IN CROSS RIVER STATE ON THE 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2023

#Renewedhope…. The Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Works, H.E. Sen (Engr) David Nweze Umahi, CON during the inspection of the Dualisation of the Outstanding Portion of Calabar–Odukpani–Itu–Ikot Ekpene Road (Obokun–Gas Power Plant) in Cross River State on the 21st September, 2023

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PHOTO NEWS

Sep
21
2023

#RENEWEDHOPE…. THE HONOURABLE MINISTER, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF WORKS, H.E. SEN (ENGR) DAVID NWEZE UMAHI, CON DURING THE INSPECTION OF THE DUALISATION OF ODUKPANI – ITU ROAD (SPUR IDEDEP ITAM) ITU–IKOT EKPENE: LOT 2. ITU – IKOT EKPENE – IKOT EKPENE ROAD IN AKWA IBOM STATE ON THE 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2023

#Renewedhope…. The Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Works, H.E. Sen (Engr) David Nweze Umahi, CON during the inspection of the Dualisation of Odukpani – Itu Road (Spur Idedep Itam) Itu–Ikot Ekpene: Lot 2. Itu – Ikot Ekpene – Ikot Ekpene Road in Akwa Ibom State on the 21st September, 2023

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