
Rivers State Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Gift O. Worlu, PhD, has emphasized the need for sister agencies to work together in synergy towards achieving the desired goal of bettering the lot of the people, in line with the manifesto of the Sir. SIminalayi Fubara-led government, by complementing each other, rather than seeing themselves as competitors in an unhealthy relationship.
Dr. Worlu, who made the call while playing host to the Board members and Management of Rivers State Housing and Property Development Authority in his office, said that the Authority is key in actualizing the Governor’s vision and dreams in the housing sub-sector, hence his decision to call for the meeting so that they can both map out ways where the Ministry and the Authority can synergize and synthesise ideas for moving the forward in realizing the mandate of the government in providing decent and affordable housing for the citizenry.
The Housing Commissioner reiterated the importance of housing, which he described as not only a important and fundamental human need, but correlates the well-being and increased productivity of the populace.

Dr. Worlu said that housing ought to be one of the major focuses of any serious minded government in the third world, saying the present government in the State, under the leadership of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, has a clear understanding of the housing needs of the people, calling on the Housing and Property Development Authority to work in tandem with the Ministry in ensuring the achievement of consolidating on whatever has been done in the built environment in the State.
The Housing Commissioner then announced that the Federal government has proposed 1,000 housing units targeted at the low/medium income earners in each state of the federation, charging the Housing Authority to work together with the Ministry to see that the state’s share of such houses get delivered to the state in record time.
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Dr. Worlu also announced that the Federal government of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu enjoins the Housing Ministries in the States to strengthen their Housing Authorities, Agencies, or Commissions saddled with housing development, saying that this meeting is part of fulfilling that mandate, while calling on the Authority to reciprocate the gesture by churning out viable programmes and ideas towards making houses available and affordable to the people.
The Commissioner promised to meet with the authority from time to time in the spirit of working as a team and as partners.
Responding on behalf of the Board and management of the Authority, the Chairman, Mr. Ndanyeozuru Anthony Egwurugwu, who thanked the Commissioner go his thoughtfulness in calling for the meeting, promised that the Authority is ready and willing to partner the ministry and work together with it.
Mr. Egwurugwu, who congratulated the Commissioner on his well-deserved appointment, enjoined the Commissioner to have an open door and a listening ear to make the synergy have the desired favourable impact and positive outcomes.
The Board Chairman of the Authority announced that the major challenge faced by the Authority is the dearth of land for needed development, pleading with the Commissioner to facilitate the process of the release of Certificates of Occupancy on the parcels of land so far acquired by government.
The meeting had in attendance Directors of the ministry and other Board members, including the Acting General Manager of the Authority, Mrs. Ibaraye Uranta.