The Senate Committee on Works and Housing on Wednesday commended the Federal Government for the ongoing massive construction of roads and housing across the country.
The Committee made the commendation during a separate 2023 budget defence session with the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Wednesday.
Fashola, in his presentation to the Housing Committee, said the National Housing Project, which started in 2016, has produced over 3,000 housing units across 35 out of the 36 states of the federation with the involvement of 1,250 contractors.
According to him, the 6,000 housing units have created 46 construction sites across the country, 29,030 direct employment and 57,874 indirect employment.
“The National Housing Project is very much on course, but the problems of the paucity of funds through drastic budget slash and outstanding liabilities of N191.75 billion, need to be urgently looked into.
“In the 2022 fiscal year, while the total capital votes for both Works and Housing Components of the Ministry was N441.18 billion, the proposal made for the 2023 fiscal year is N146 billion.
“Out of the proposed N146 billion as capital expenditure for the entire Ministry in 2023 fiscal year, only N45 billion is earmarked for Housing sector,” he said.
He, therefore, appealed to the committee headed by Senator Sam Egwu to help push for consideration of the N191.75billion owed to contractors.
Virtually all the members of the Committee, in separate remarks, commended the Minister for achieving much with little resources.
Specifically, the Chairman of the Committee said: “The Federal Government, through your ministry, has performed creditably well in the Housing sector through the National Housing Project.
“Continuation of such project by successive administrations will no doubt, help in addressing the problem of Housing deficit in the country”.
A similar commendation came the way of the Minister from the Senate Committee on Works .
The Committee headed by Senator Adamu Aliero, said partisan politics apart, the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government has done well as far as roads constructions are concerned.
“The Second Niger Bridge, Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway, all nearing completion, are no doubt, signature projects for the administration and highly beneficial to Nigeria and Nigerians,” he said.
