The House Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning has expressed its dissatisfaction with the progress of the Renewed Hope Estate Project in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
During an oversight visit, Chairman Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante Dagomie criticized the four contractors handling the project, highlighting the need for more competent contractors to ensure proper execution.
The committee’s concerns were particularly focused on the substandard work done on the Umu Etuk-Spencer Esin slum upgrade road network in Oron. Despite receiving 30% of the funding from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the project is less than 6% complete. The project, awarded in June 2024, was expected to be finished by September 2024.
Abiante called on the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, to hire more experienced and honest contractors for federal projects, specifically mentioning the need to reconstruct the Umu Etuk-Spencer Esin road due to the use of substandard materials.
The committee also accused the contractors handling 250 housing units in Uruan, Uyo, and the Oron slum upgrade of sabotaging the Renewed Hope housing scheme under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The contractors involved include Springwell Intercontinental Resources, Tunsoye Trust Global Link, Hyosungs Nigeria Limited, and Logine Limited.
The committee has directed that the Minister of Housing and Urban Development and the contractors be summoned to address the delays and challenges affecting the projects’ implementation. This oversight aims to ensure accountability and transparency, crucial for the success of the Renewed Hope Housing Programme, which aims to deliver 50,000 affordable housing units across Nigeria and boost economic growth.
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