By Chukwudi Obasi, Abuja
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning, Awaji-Inombek Abiante, has raised concerns about converting residential areas into commercial and industrial zones.
Abiante voiced his concerns yesterday when the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Shuaib Belgore, appeared before the Committee to defend the Ministry’s 2024 budget performance and its 2025 budget proposal.
Abiante emphasised the need for proper town planning beyond housing provision to prevent the emergence of slums.
He stated, “We have raised concerns about converting residential areas to commercial and semi-industrial areas. These changes come with challenges. We expect thorough impact assessments to be conducted before approvals for such conversions are granted.
“We also hope that assessments will be done for new and upcoming estates to ensure that solutions to housing problems do not inadvertently create additional challenges.
“For instance, the Trademore Estate was developed in Abuja to address housing challenges. However, it now faces annual flooding issues. To prevent similar problems in future projects, comprehensive assessments are essential.”
Abiante identified an outdated legal framework for town planning as a contributing factor to these challenges.
“We have started the process to repeal and re-enact the enabling act governing town planning, especially concerning the profession. The bill has passed its first reading, and we aim to engage Nigerians to advance this initiative,” he said.
Abiante also expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress on the Renewed Hope Estate project.
In his remarks, Belgore highlighted the need for a national housing regulatory authority to ensure building standardization. He also lamented the Ministry’s reduced budget, cut from N162bn in 2024 to N83.7bn in 2025.
“This budget is grossly inadequate. Our 2024 allocation was halved, dropping from N162bn to N83bn. The Urban and Regional Development Department is allocated only N4.6bn for its various projects,” Belgore said.
He appealed to the Committee for increased funding to enable the Ministry to meet its responsibilities, including slum upgrading and urban renewal programs across the 36 states.
