The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Senator Gbenga Ashafa, has disclosed that the agency has recovered all its lands in estates in FESTAC town-Lagos, Akwa, Gombe and Lugbe in the FCT.
Ashafa, who addressed a press conference in Abuja as part of the activities lined up to mark the 50th anniversary of the government body scheduled from November 22 to 24, 2023 in Abuja, also said the agency in the last 50 years of its existence has constructed 149,000 housing units across the country.
He said: “Some of our land encroached include Festac because immediately we came into office in 2020, there was an uproar when there was a joint task force with the Lagos State government and other stakeholders when they moved into areas of Festac to enforce compliance.
“They were seriously encroached upon, houses were built without approvals, houses were built on the right of way of drainages, even construction of roads and there were hues and cries by those who were building illegally.
“However, the advent of the law took its course and we had to amicably settle the issue. Some of them claimed ignorance and that they bought the land from the traditional rulers. We recovered some of these lands and gave others the chance to regularise their lands, which a few of them did.
“Some of these houses were already sinking and you can see the number of houses collapsing daily. At the end of the day, people, some of them went to court to tie the hands of the government to do the right thing.
“Part of our lands in Lugbe has been encroached upon, Awka, some part of the land in Gombe, and some of them who ignorantly bought the land come back to us to regularly use the process”.
He continued: “Here in Abuja, we have a lot of projects especially when a lot of civil servants are moving to the capital. A lot of funds were available and we were able to build 49,000 units of houses in direct construction houses by FHA.
“Also, over 100,000 units have been built when you look at partnerships with private developers all around the capital city and other states.
In total, we would be looking at over 149,000 units of housing built in 50 years and we are prepared to do more with the renewed hope model that is coming in”.
