Leave experts to handle the housing sector
by Engr. A. Oyediran
Engr. Oyediran is into property consultancy, financing, development and project management. In this interview, he dissected the housing sector and concluded that until the right professionals are given the opportunity to drive the sector, problem of accommodation will persist.
What are your expectations for the remaining quarters of the year 2013 as far as the housing sector is concerned?
As I always say, the three tiers of government still need to do something urgently concerning shelter and other things before one can project precisely what to expect in the housing sector but as at now, the sky is still misty. But generally, one expects the favourable chunk of the budget voted for housing, to be judiciously implemented, considering the dire need in the sector.
What would be your review of year 2012?
My review is that apart from the state governments who are trying to consider the low income earners in terms of shelter, the Federal Government has not done anything as far as building of houses is concerned because getting land is still frost with difficulties. It is only the states that could be said to be doing enough. It is the duty of the Federal Government to provide adequate accommodation for the citizens.
The Government at the Federal level should come to the aid of the less privileged. It should assist in putting a roof on every head. This is another year and things should not continue as usual. As of now I think the states are doing their best (which is not enough), to bridge the gap. It is only the Federal Government that has the wherewithal, the financial muscle to tackle the problem headlong. I think maybe because the Federal Government is too far from the people, she doesn’t see things the way we see them thus the non challant attitude.
Believe you me, an average Nigerian cannot afford to build a presentable house but the states are doing their best. They are putting up a room and parlour self contain apartments, miniflats, two bedroom flats, etc, which can go for between N2.5M to N5M, they will now tell you how many years you have to pay the remaining balance. I think this is a welcome develement.
What of the private sector?
The private sector is also trying but the problem we are having is that the private sector cannot be compared with the state of Federal Governments because the private sector does not have access to buy building materials directly from the company. You buy from the contractor supplying them and the contractor who buys at the rate of N10 would like to sell at the rate of N20.
The government have the access to buy at a control price directly from the manufacturer. So you see, you cannot compare the private sector with the government. If the government is selling a house at N1m, the private developers would sell the same at N2.5m or more because of the source of the building materials. And again, the private developers are out to make profit within a limited time as they also source finance from profit oriented outfits. The governments on the other hand are providing services to the people as part of its obligations, not necessarily to make profit.
In advance countries, the local governments play important roles in providing accommodation for the people. What do you think can be done about this in Nigeria?
You see in advance countries, before the end of the year, you know the number of people that are living in your locality and you forward the number to the federal authority who will now make adequate provision for housing and other necessary things. But here in Nigeria it is not like that. Some Local Government has not even paid their staff salary up to date. This is because if the Federal Government gives them N10m, it will first of all go to the state government before the latter now reinburse the local governments. By this time, the amount must have been slashed down to about N5m or less. How them can the local governments make provision for housing? How could they make it when they are not autonomous?
Already the money had been wittled down from the top. But in other countries, the USA, UK, etc, it is the Federal Government that will tell you how you spend your money. The reverse is the case in Nigeria. The states will take their share before releasing the remnant to the local governments which are mostly overstaffed and by the time they pay salaries, the remaining money, if it remains at all, is not enough for any tangible project.
It is not possible to maintain common road network and other things. There is a particular local government which name I will not mention where they nearly killed the chairman because the councilors were not paid their salaries on time. The chairman explained that the amount released to him was not enough even to pay the staff but nobody listened to him. We are still in problem.
Look at what happen in Ijebu East. The governor had to suspend both the chairman and the councilors simply because the money released to the local government was said to have been shared between the chairman and the party leaders. It is happening everywhere in Nigeria. The only solution is for God to intervene. Except we have some one like the late Brigadier Tunde Idigbon as a civilian president, somebody who could whip erring public servants to line, then Nigeria will be better for it.
It is very easy to criticise those in authority. Given the mantle of leadership at the housing and urban and regional planning ministry, what would you have done?
The minister can try but the instruction will come from somewhere. He or she cannot act unilaterally. He cannot use his personal money to do it. He can only give instruction and to give instruction, he needs money. If he makes requisition from the president and it is not granted, what can he do? It is only when money is released to him that he will now call his lieutenants and give them instruction on what to do.
Giving the necessary encouragement, the first thing I will have done is to overhaul the ministry, its parastatals and agencies. Put the right person in the right place; Civil Engineers, Architects, Surveyors and other qualified professional, unlike the case of round pegs in square holes as we presently have it. It is then that we can make progress. But when appoint an accountant to supervise a building project, if you like, give him billions of Naira, the project will fail. But if a qualified professional is put there, on the other hand, then you can be sure of success and if he fails, you have him and not the system to blame. The thorough professional would want to protect his name and integrity.
The Nigerian society of Engineers are there to monitor its members practitioners. So also are other professional bodies, but nepotism, “man know man”, ethnicism and favouritism have eaten deep into the fabrics of the nation and until the cankerworm is removed, I don’t foresee a bright future in sight. Nigeria has competent and capable people who can perform very creditably.
People who would not want to soil their hands. Thorough bred professionals who are achievers and men of integrity. We should look for them and put them in fitting places. That is why we have the directorate of employment. Nigerian has money. She has abundant resources, both human and natural. Let us harness these and we will move forward.
