Minister Faults Delay In Katsina Renewed Hope Housing Project

Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, has has decried the delay in the execution of the Renewed Hope Cities housing project in Katsina State.

He threatened that contractors who failed to meet contractual obligations may face sanctions.

Speaking during an inspection of the project site, Darma criticized some contractors for failing to complete projects awarded in December 2024 despite having a six-month completion timeline.

According to the minister, while some contractors had successfully delivered their assignments, including the electrification component and a 128-unit housing scheme, others had failed to complete road infrastructure and housing projects more than one and a half years after contract award.

“It is not good for someone who has signed a contract agreement and said he will finish a project within a specified period, only to delay it for over three times the agreed duration without obtaining an extension,” he said.

The minister noted that contractors had attributed the delays to insufficient funding but insisted that such explanations did not excuse non-compliance with contractual obligations.

“If a contractor cannot complete a project within the agreed period for whatever reason, he is expected to return to the ministry and formally seek an extension of time. None of them did that, and as far as we are concerned, they have violated the contract agreement,” he said.

Darma directed officials of the ministry to convene a meeting with all contractors handling the project and communicate the government’s dissatisfaction with the pace and quality of work.

He also ordered the preparation of a comprehensive report detailing the status of each contract, including the date of award, duration, level of completion and the contractors responsible.

“I want a detailed report on every contract here. We need to know who the contractors are, the terms of the contracts, the duration and the percentage of completion. That report should reach me by Tuesday or Wednesday,” he instructed.

The minister expressed concern over visible signs of deterioration in some of the structures, stressing that contractors would not be allowed to hand over substandard projects to the government.

“If we take over these houses and find them in bad shape, we will not accept them. The contractors will be required to fix all defects before handover,” he said.

Despite the setbacks, Darma commended the quality of the housing units he inspected, noting that he observed no structural cracks in the building he visited.

“From what I have seen, the construction quality appears good.

However, a technical assessment team will conduct a more comprehensive evaluation of the houses before they are accepted,” he said.

The minister disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is currently implementing over 15,000 housing units nationwide through various funding arrangements, including direct government financing, public-private partnerships, the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, and the Federal Housing Authority.

He, however, cautioned against relying solely on paper reports, citing discrepancies between reported and actual completion rates at the Katsina project site.

While officials reported that 250 housing units had been completed, Darma said only about 130 units appeared fully finished during the inspection.

He assured Nigerians that the ministry would intensify efforts to ensure that the housing projects are completed and allocated to beneficiaries before the end of the current administration.

“I will put in my time, intellect, effort and energy to make sure these houses are completed. Before the end of this administration, I want to see between 80 and 90 percent of these projects completed and delivered to people. Housing is meant for human beings, not rodents and animals,” he said.