Gombe Governor Inaugurates 13th National Council Meeting On Lands, Housing, Urban Development

The event, themed “Housing the Future: Affordable Housing for Economic Growth, Climate Resilience and Urban Development”, brought together policy makers, legislators, professionals and other industry players to discuss challenges and explore ways to address humanity’s most urgent needs.

Declaring the event open, Governor Inuwa Yahaya, described the meeting as a valuable platform for knowledge sharing, policy formulation, and fostering collaborations among the federal, state and private sector partners to address the nation’s housing needs.

He commended the Federal government’s efforts in reducing the housing deficit in Nigeria through the Renewed Hope Estates and other several housing initiatives being implemented.

“Let me use this opportunity to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for launching the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Programme, an ambitious initiative that aims to construct 100,000 housing units over the next three years. This bold commitment underscores the administration’s commitment to addressing the housing gap”, the Governor said.

“In May this year, we had the honour of welcoming the Honorable Minister of Housing here in Gombe to launch the Renewed Hope Housing scheme. Gombe is grateful to be among the pilot states of the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, where about 250 housing units are currently at various levels of completion. These units will bring benefits to our people, providing not only shelter but also economic empowerment and job opportunities for them”, the Governor added.

He also appreciated the President and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development for selecting Gombe to be the Building Materials and Manufacturing Hub in the northeast subregion, stating that “This reinforces our strategic role as an emerging regional centre for commerce and industry and strengthens our capacity to support sustainable development in the subregion.”

Governor Inuwa Yahaya also used the event to share some of his administration’s achievements in the housing and infrastructure sectors, saying “under our leadership, we are proud to report the delivery of over 1,000 housing units through partnerships with the North East Development Commission (NEDC) and Family Home Funds. Furthermore, our administration has created new layouts and standardized existing ones, leading to better urban planning and increased access to affordable housing.”

“Beyond our accomplishments in land administration, Gombe State has achieved remarkable milestones in the built environment and infrastructure. We have constructed over 1,000 kilometres of road networks, facilitating connectivity and economic activity across the state. Additionally, we have built over 1,600 classrooms to improve access to quality education for our young population”, the Governor added.

He informed participants that his administration has made significant strides in streamlining land administration and urban planning, stating that with the establishment of Gombe Geographic Information Systems (GOGIS), Gombe has succeeded in eliminating fraud and digitizing our land administration system therefore setting a high standard in good governance and transparency.

He further added that Gombe state has been committed to ensuring strict compliance with building regulations through the Gombe State Urban Planning and Development Authority (GOSUPDA), promoting slum upgrade and sustainable urban growth while acknowledging that Nigeria must recognize that affordable, safe, and climate-resilient housing is essential for the social and economic well-being of the people.

In his keynote address, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, explained that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is concerned by the shortfall in the housing sector in Nigeria, hence the commitment to bridge the deficit which currently stands at over thirty million.

He stated that in bridging this housing deficit, the President initiated the Renewed Hope Housing Project which is currently building over Ten thousand Housing Unit across the country, with systemic plans to further construct more.

The Minister commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for the systemic reforms in land administration and urban development which fall in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

In a goodwill message, the Chairman House Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning, Hon. Abiante Awaji, appealed to the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development to rethink affordable housing for Nigerians as many citizens in the country see the possibility of owning a house as a mirage due to the rising cost of building materials.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Gombe State Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, Dr. Usman Maijama Kallamu, highlighted that the meeting comes at the best time in Gombe, as Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s administration undertakes significant reforms in land administration and urban development.