The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Architect Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has warned real estate developers who engage in the construction of substandard projects and other fraudulent practices to desist from such behavior or face the wrath of the law.
This was as the Minister reiterated the resolve of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to ensure that developers construct houses in line with laid-down laws and regulations and prevent fraudulent practices in the sector.
Speaking recently at the commissioning and the flag-off of a real estate project in Abuja, Dangiwa cautioned against the use of substandard building materials and unethical practices, warning that those who fail to build within stipulated guidelines will be prosecuted.
He also warned those who collect money from unsuspecting Nigerians only to turn around and deliver substandard projects, stating that the days of cutting corners are over.
“I want to warn all developers, and I advise them to see this as the final warning that they will get. The days of cutting corners in the housing sector are over. If you think you can defraud Nigerians of their hard-earned money and get away with it in this present time, you are mistaken.
‘For those who collect money from beneficiaries and, at the end of the
day, fail to deliver, and dupe ordinary Nigerians who simply want a decent place to call home, the law will soon catch up with you. Stop doing it because the days are over for such practices,” he said.
He noted that Nigerians have been victims of unscrupulous elements in the built environment for far too long, stressing that such practices amount to financial crimes.
“When you go into a contract with a subscriber to build XYZ with certain features, and at the end of the day, you renege on that agreement, that amounts to a breach of contract. Some will collect the money and abscond with it; that’s extortion by pretense and these are financial crimes.
“That’s why the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is now collaborating with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to go after such developers, ensure accountability in the sector, and protect the rights and investments of Nigerians,” Dangiwa said.
Elaborating on the strategy after the event, the minister stated that the ministry plans to establish a Housing Fraud Monitoring Platform that will enable Nigerians nationwide to report incidences of housing fraud by developers.
“The primary goal of the platform is to monitor and detect instances of housing fraud perpetrated by dubious developers and ensure accountability in the sector. We aim to protect the rights and investments of Nigerians by creating a transparent and accountable system.
“Using the platform, we will empower Nigerians with a transparent tool to report dubious developers and work in collaboration with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate reported cases of housing fraud,” he stated.
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