The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has announced the creation of a task team focused on property and land ground rents to ensure thorough audits across the Federation’s states.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, said this initiative during a meeting with Housing Controllers from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The statement was issued on Friday in Abuja, and signed by Salisu Haiba, the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations.
Belgore explained that the task team would include state controllers, representatives from the Federal and State Housing Authorities, and the Surveyor-General of the Federation, who would serve as the task force chairman.
“The team’s primary responsibility will include conducting field audits and providing professional oversight to ensure both quality and efficiency in ground rent collection.”
He emphasised the need for regular field supervision and open communication between the controllers and the Ministry’s headquarters to help track and report state-level activities.
In his address, Belgore highlighted that successful project execution relied on teamwork and quality.
He encouraged the state controllers to foster cooperation within their teams to effectively carry out the ministry’s mission.
He also underscored the importance of hands-on experience for project management, pointing out that it is best acquired in the field, not from an office setting.
Additionally, Belgore noted concerns about the Ministry’s human resource challenges, as many officers were nearing retirement.
He mentioned plans to engage experienced professionals and implement training and mentoring programmes for new officers.
During the session, the Federal Controllers requested that the ministry renew the contracts of facility managers overseeing state projects to prevent vandalism by miscreants.
Director of Human Resources at the Ministry, Akinola Adeshina, expressed that the meeting was meant to strengthen synergy between the headquarters and federal controllers.
He added that the goal was to ensure the controllers have the necessary resources to perform their duties effectively, without room for excuses.(NAN)