Lagos govt threatens to revoke delayed housing contracts
Lagos State Government Urges Contractors to Expedite Housing Projects
LAGOS – The Lagos State Government has issued a warning to contractors involved in ongoing housing projects, urging them to accelerate construction efforts or face contract termination.
Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, the Commissioner for Housing, delivered the mandate during a recent inspection of housing developments at the Abraham Adesanya Extension and the second phase of the Sangotedo Housing Scheme.
“We are committed to delivering at least 2,000 housing units before the year’s end,” Akinderu-Fatai stated, emphasizing that delays will not be tolerated.
Accompanying him on the inspection were Hafis Toriola, the Permanent Secretary of the Housing Ministry, along with various directors, engineers, and technical teams.
During the tour, Akinderu-Fatai expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress observed at some sites. “We are not pleased with the current scope of work and have noticed several technical issues that will be addressed with the contractors,” he said.
He indicated that if the government had sufficiently funded the projects but work has stalled, swift action would be taken against the contractors.
These projects are part of a larger initiative aimed at providing 2,000 homes across multiple schemes in the state. Notably, the 526-unit Sangotedo Housing Scheme operates under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.
Despite recognizing the complexities of these infrastructure projects, Akinderu-Fatai conveyed an escalating concern about the delays. He noted that some projects were originally projected for completion approximately two years ago.
The commissioner attributed some of the setbacks to economic challenges, particularly the rising costs of building materials, which have led to temporary work stoppages and renegotiations of project terms with the ministry. However, he reiterated that the government will tolerate no further delays.
“We have moved past excuses; we are now focused on delivery,” he asserted.
To address ongoing challenges and expedite project completion, Akinderu-Fatai announced that the ministry would hold urgent meetings with contractors involved in the housing initiatives.