The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Lagos Chapter, at the weekend gave an insight into its areas of focus in 2022.
It said it would focus on capacity building of its members towards pursuing Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for affordable, accessible mass housing.
Honourary Secretary (HS), NIOB, Lagos Chapter, Mr Abiodun Ogundare, during the association’s end of year strategy meeting/party in Lagos, said shelter is important.
Ogundare said this informed the institute’s plan to support government to achieve its mass housing drive.
He said most of the SDGs focused on infrastructure development and were tied to the construction industry
Government, according to him, cannot do it alone except with partnerships.
“As an institute, shelter is a concern for us; in 2022 we will be more strategic in ensuring that housing is available for all,” he said.
Ogundare said that NIOB, Lagos Chapter, had entered agreement with some housing cooperatives to offer free supervision during the execution of their housing projects in 2022.
This, he said, was a way to contribute to quantity durable construction.
He said that NIOB would collaborate with some groups towards achieving Goal 11, which aims to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
Ogundare listed Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, Non-Governmental Organisations and other construction stakeholders among such groups.
The secretary commended the Lagos State Government for its ongoing affordable and accessible mass housing drive in line with the SDGs.
He, however, lamented gaps in the government’s collaboration with builders in the area of regulation.
According to him, there are five important documents called the”Builders Document” needed in quality building production management captured in the revised Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) laws but are not being properly implemented.
He called on building regulatory agencies in Lagos State to increase collaboration with NIOB to guarantee quality assurance in building construction.
This, he said, would help to avert future dangers associated with not building right.
“For us to capture in year 2022, we want to increase capacity building for our members because we find out that competence with skills will promote availability of our members.
“It is one thing to have other resources towards mass housing like the land and funding. What about the manpower?
“So, we are positioning our members for year 2022 such that their competencies match with global standards, that is why we are having the mind mapping strategy today,” he said.
Earlier, while making a slide presentation, Ogundare reeled out achievements of 2021 and target for years 2022 and 2023.
He enumerated strategies for harnessing skills of members as well as welfare and mental health programmes, as well as plans for completion of its proposed permanent Secretariat and other capital projects.
He explained to members the rationale for planned short term investments in agriculture while reading out names of new committee members to help drive NIOB visions in 2022.
The chapter Chairman, Mr Lucky Isename, solicited the support of members towards achieving the laudable projects.
He pledged to address concerns of members to invest in real estate instead of agriculture.
The chairman said that the corporate strategy by the institute was to evolve clear, defined long-term visions to create value and motivate members towards synergy for achieving collective goals.
NIOB members in attendance took turns to make suggestions on how to ensure synergy towards moving the institute forward.
The guest speaker, Mr Jide Ologun, while delivering a lecture tagged “Corporate Strategy, Structure and Mind Mapping for 2022” took members through slide presentations on how to achieve “success attitude”.
Ologun pointed out that wrong attitude could frustrate any laudable vision
OPIC to spend over N3.889bn on housing, others next year
Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC) says it plans to spend the sum of N3.889bn as its total expenditure for the next fiscal year.
The Managing Director/ SA OPIC, Mr. Abiodun Fari-Arole stated this while defending the Corporation’s 2022 budget estimate before members of the State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation chaired by Hon. Olakunle Sobukanla at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Fari- Arole noted that the amount would take care of the completion of the second phase of Housing at the King’s Court Estate Phase II, Abeokuta and BOFT Apartment at Warewa; the opening up of internal access road at Agbara and New Makun City to enhance sales of land and ease the movement of occupants within the Estate, as well as commencement of the development of two new Estates at Siun Axis and Ijebu- Ode/ Epe Express road amongst others
Giving a breakdown of the budget estimate, the MD stated that out of the total, the sum of N2.899bn would be set aside for capital expenses, N482m for personnel cost, with N507m being earmarked for overhead, while over N6.4bn was the proposed revenue for the period.
In another development, Ogun State Ministry of Justice says it remains committed to ensuring that the people of the State have unhindered access to justice, having set machineries in motion towards enhancing equity and promoting fair play in the administration of justice in the State.
The State Attorney-General/Commissioner, Mr. Oluwashina Ogungbade (SAN) stated this while he took turn to defend the ministry’s budget estimate before the lawmakers.
He noted that more would be achieved through effectively and efficiently handling of all legal matters pertaining to the people, the government and its agencies.
The Commissioner added that the Ministry planned to construct building for Committee on rehabilitation and correctional administration of criminal justice, monitoring centre as well as Zonal offices for the Citizens Rights Department in Ota and other areas of the State to strengthen the available legal/judicial infrastructure and thereby enhance public accessibility to justice.
Ogungbade disclosed that the ministry proposed a budget estimate of N763m as total expenditure for next year, out of which personnel cost would take N438.7m, while N202m would go for overhead and the remaining N122.1m would be expended on capital projects.
The State Judiciary, Judicial Service Commission, Ogun State Customary Court of Appeal also defended their 2022 budget proposals before the State lawmakers.
Others agencies that defended their budget estimates included the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bureau of Local Government Pensions and State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency and State Market Board amongst others.
Obi Cubana promises low cost housing for charity
Obinna Iyiegbu, the Chairman of Cubana Group, popularly known as Obi Cubana says he will build low cost housing for charity across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Iyiegbu made the promise while receiving the 2021 Man of The Year Award presented to him by Igbere TV, Leadership Excellence Award on Thursday in Abuja.
He also promised to complete the low cost housing project before the end of 2022 in support of some identified senior citizens who are in dire need of accommodation.
“For this pilot project, six senior citizens who have difficulties in terms of accommodation have been identified in the six geopolitical zones of the country.
“We have moved round the country and identified them and we will use this platform to affect their lives in the year 2022 by developing a low cost housing for six of them,” he said.
He added that the honour was an encouragement for him to do more especially in the areas of youth empowerment, humanitarian gestures as well as mentorship of the young ones.
James Anyalekwa, the Director of Igbere TV, said Obi Cubana garnered over a million votes among Nigerian youths whose lives he has touched in one way or the other.
According to Anyalekwa, ‘the massive votes cast in the online electioneering exercise which lasted over four weeks was a show of solidarity from youths of the country and beyond for Obi Cubana.
Explaining reasons for the 2021 edition of Igbere TV Leadership Excellence Award, Anyalekwa, said it was for the dual purpose of celebrating excellence among Nigerians who have done something exceptional in affecting the lives of others.
“It is also to identify and impact the lives of the less privileged especially some senior citizens of the country who have no roof over their heads”.
Handing over the award to Obi Cubana, the Director of ABN TV, Ifeanyi Okali commended the awardee for being at the forefront of efforts to enhance the lives of communities in the country.
Okali urged him not to relent in lifting the burdens of people through empowerment and philanthropic gestures.
Our Correspondent reports that the award presentation came one month after he was scheduled to receive it.
The Anambra state born businessman was scheduled to be honoured alongside other eminent Nigerians on Nov. 2 but was unavoidably absent due to unforeseen circumstances.
Highpoints of the event was the unveiling of the prototype low cost housing
