Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja
The Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development have expressed concern over the slow pace and quality of work at the Renewed Hope Affordable Housing Programme (RHAHP) project located in the Asaba-Uvwie-Ekpan axis of Delta State.
The concern was raised when the FRC South-South Verification Team on Selected Federal Government Projects inspected the 96-unit housing project as part of its ongoing physical verification exercise across the South-south region.
During the inspection, the team observed that only four of the 96 housing units were nearing completion, while several aspects of the project, including roofing and other infrastructure, remained either incomplete or unattended to.
The Team Lead and Head of the Strategic Communications Directorate of the FRC, Mr. Bede Ogueri Anyanwu, expressed concern over the quality and pace of work at the site.
According to him, the Renewed Hope Affordable Housing Programme was conceived as part of the federal government’s efforts to improve living conditions and expand access to affordable housing and other essential services for Nigerians.
He noted that the level of work observed at the site did not reflect the objectives of the programme, stressing the need for contractors to return to the site and complete their respective assignments to the required standards.
Anyanwu specifically called for M/s Goodnews Creative Ideas Limited and M/s First Class Capital Project Limited to return to the site and address outstanding works, particularly the roofing of the buildings.
The verification team observed that wind had already damaged some of the roofing sheets used on completed sections of the buildings, raising concerns about the quality and durability of the materials and workmanship.
The team also sought explanations for the non-commencement of several components of the project, despite the contracts reportedly having been awarded since 2024.
The affected contractors and consultants include M/s Gozcon Investment, responsible for electricity works; M/s Blue Sea Investment Limited, handling road and drainage infrastructure; M/s Goodnews Creative Ideas Limited, also handling road and drainage works; and M/s Ecosphere Consulting Limited, engaged as consultant for the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of the Renewed Hope Estate project in Delta State.
The representative of the Controller, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Delta State, Uche Nwati, was invited to provide clarification on the status of the project and the reasons for the limited progress recorded.
Nwati attributed some of the challenges to what he described as inadequate feasibility studies conducted before the contracts were awarded. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the level of work executed at the project site.
The FRC verification team stressed the importance of ensuring that contractors engaged for Federal Government projects deliver according to approved specifications, timelines and quality standards, particularly on projects designed to provide critical social infrastructure to Nigerians.
FRC is currently undergoing physical verification of select federal government projects across the South-South geopolitical zone, aimed at assessing project implementation, value for money and compliance with approved standards and specifications.