Freshly appointed Housing Minister sets sights on tackling £20m shortfall, pledges to drive forward initiatives for budget-friendly housing

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By John Alechenu

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Abuja — The newly appointed Minister of Housing, Engr. Muttaqha Darma, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to tackling Nigeria’s estimated 20 million housing deficit through the delivery of affordable homes nationwide.

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Darma made the pledge on Monday in Abuja while officially assuming office, outlining his vision to accelerate the housing and urban development component of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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Describing his leadership style as inclusive and team-driven, the minister said he would prioritize collaboration within the ministry to achieve set targets.

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“We are all team players. I see myself as a captain, not a boss. The President is the coach who has already given us direction, and we are determined to succeed,” Darma said.

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He assured staff that his administration would maintain an open-door policy, encouraging the exchange of ideas to move the ministry forward.

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“Every member of this team is important. I will listen to everyone—no matter how small they think their ideas are—as long as it contributes to progress,” he added.

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The minister also disclosed plans to meet with directors in the coming days to conduct a comprehensive review of the ministry’s operations and strategies.

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Darma expressed appreciation to his predecessor for laying a solid foundation, pledging to build on existing initiatives. He specifically assured that the ongoing 10,000 housing units project would not only be sustained but enhanced in line with the administration’s broader housing goals.

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Earlier, Minister of State for Housing, Hon. Yusuf Ata, highlighted achievements recorded by the ministry, particularly in leveraging public-private partnerships to drive housing and infrastructure development.

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According to Ata, the implementation of the Renewed Housing Programme across more than 17 states has delivered large-scale housing projects in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos, Kano, and other parts of the country, creating over 300,000 direct and indirect jobs across the construction value chain.

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The renewed push, stakeholders say, is expected to play a crucial role in addressing Nigeria’s housing shortage while boosting employment and economic growth.

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