Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, Managing Director\Chief Executive, Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has call for increased synergy between the FHA and the Navy in the running of housing estate affairs across the country.
This was contained in a statement by FHA spokesman, Mr Kenneth Chigelu, made available to journalists on Thursday in Lagos.Chigelu said Ashafa made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo on Wednesday, in Abuja.Addressing the Chief of Naval Staff, Ashafa traced the long – standing cordial relationship between the FHA and the Navy, to the early 1980s.He recalled when the Navy acquired some houses at FHA in Gowon Estate; Ipaja and FESTAC town, all in Lagos, as well as Gwarinpa 11 Estate, Abuja.The FHA boss noted that the same good relationship made FHA to offer its estate at Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, to the Navy.
He called for a more robust relationship between the two organisations for mutual benefit.Ashafa also called for the intervention of the CNS “in resolving the issue of outstanding payment of premium and ground rents by the Navy in Gowon Estate, Ipaja, Lagos”.Responding, the Chief of Naval Staff, thanked the management for the visit and expressed the commitment of the Navy to partner with the FHA in the provision of housing, especially in acquiring another one in Yenagoa.
He said a committee, to be headed by the Executive Director Housing Finance, Adama Kure, was in place for the resolution of the issues on premium and ground rent at Gowon Estate, Ipaja,The FHA MD\Chief Executive was accompanied on the visit by his Executive Director, Estate Services, Mrs Hauwa Babakobi, her Housing Finance counterpart, Mrs Adama Kure and the MD FHA Mortgage Bank, Mr Awuual
Hayatudeen.Others included, the General Manager Finance, Mr Jonah Saidu, General Manager, Housing Programme/Special Adviser Technical to Ashafa; Mr Adamu Tanimu, General Manager Property Management; Mr Ibrahim Dang, among others. (NAN)