The house of representatives has asked the federal
government to prioritise low and middle-income earners, internally displaced
persons (IDPs) and vulnerable groups in the allocation of the 753 duplexes in
Abuja.
The green chamber passed the resolution during Tuesday’s
plenary following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Jafaru Leko, a Bauchi
lawmaker.
BACKGROUND
In May, Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), handed over the forfeited estate to Ahmed
Dangiwa, housing and urban development minister.
The uncompleted duplexes, located in the Lokogoma district
of the federal capital territory (FCT), were forfeited by Godwin Emefiele,
former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Dangiwa said President Bola Tinubu directed that the
recovered estate be completed and made available to the Nigerian public through
a “transparent and accountable” process.
THE MOTION
Moving the motion, Leko said if properly managed, the estate
could “meaningfully contribute to addressing the severe housing deficit in
Nigeria currently estimated at over 17 million housing units”, particularly in
urban centres like Abuja.
He said without a transparent, accountable, and equitable
framework for allocating such public assets, the recovered properties risk
falling into the hands of privileged elites, “defeating the purpose of asset
recovery and denying ordinary Nigerians access to decent housing”.
“The absence of a publicly available beneficiary selection
process or legislative oversight over such transfers may erode public
confidence in the sincerity of the government’s anti-corruption and social
justice programmes,” he said.
The legislator said it is the constitutional obligation of
government at all levels to ensure the welfare of citizens, particularly in
securing adequate shelter as enshrined under chapter II of the constitution.
The motion was adopted when Benjamin Kalu, the deputy
speaker, called for a voice vote.
Consequently, the house asked the ministry of housing and
urban development to put together and publish a transparent and inclusive
allocation framework for the recovered estate, prioritising low and
middle-income earners, IDPs, and vulnerable groups and submit a comprehensive
report to the house within 60 days on the proposed use, allocation criteria,
and beneficiary selection for the estate.
The green chamber also asked the ministry to
institutionalise a national database of forfeited assets, with mechanisms for
public tracking and civil society oversight, to promote accountability and
public trust.
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