By Hillary Asemota
The Minister of Works and Housing Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, has expressed satisfaction with the positive resurgence of ShelterAfrique to relevance, reckoning and profitability in Africa’s built sector.
The Minister said he is very proud today to say that Shelter Afrique is today a much stronger company with better version than what he inherited in 2016.
Fashola, made this remark at the Annual General Meeting (AGM ) of Shelter Afrique at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
He said: “By the collective actions of our member states, our development partners and our Board Management staff, we have surmounted very difficult challenges, some of which threatened the continuous existence of this company at a time.”
The Minister acknowledged that there was a time they contemplated winding down to go back to African Union (AU) but today , the company stands, and it is better positioned.
The Minister of State for Works and Housing , Umar Ibrahim El-Yakubu in his closing remarks at the event said: “The Nigerian Housing and Built Environment Industry has a lot of potential to be explored by the Public, Private and other relevant stakeholders which can only be achieved through partnership and collaborations between the relevant institutions locally and internationally.”
The President, who was represented by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, while reading the president’s address, said” Permit me to commend the roles played by the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing being the immediate host of this AGM, regarding the mandates and targets issued by the Presidency.”
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Mohammed Musa Bello at the event, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the FCTA Mr. Adesola Olusade, said “The desire of every working person to own their own homes is a known fact and fundamental.”
He hoped that the outcome of the 42nd Annual General Meeting and Symposium of Shelter Afrique would address the critical needs of housing in Nigeria.
The Minister of National Housing & Social Amenities, Republic of Zimbawbwe , Mr. Daniel Garwe, commended the effort of the Nigerian Government for creating the enabling environment for the AGM.
Garwe said: “Fellow Africans we are now seated here in the Hilton Hotel reflecting on our successes and failures since the last AGM hosted in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe , our Parliament is expected to compliment the efforts exerted.”
The Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Shelter Afrique , Dr. Chil Akporji in her remarks thanked the nations that have supported Shelter Afrique saying: “we are grateful for the continued financial backing we get from nations that share our mission and we wish to reaffirm our commitment to the vision of decent and affordable housing in Africa.”
She also said that they were exploring practical ways to improve impact on housing markets across member countries.”
Shelter Afrique Managing Director Mr. Thierno Habib Hann, in his welcome address said “the planned symposium demonstrates Shelter Afrique’s commitment to improving housing and the built environment practices in the business .We expect to leave the symposium having defined the Political, Social and Economic strategies needed to enhance African’s attainment of affordable housing and urban development targets.”
Thierno, said “Understanding the incentive mechanism confronting the key players in the housing value chain, we can then discover how to easily supply adequate and reasonably priced housing for everyone, even though the cards are stacked against us.”
The high point of the event was the presentation of plaque to President Muhammadu Buhari in recognition of his Government’s contributions to Shelter Afrique.
