The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has pledged to initiate the construction of 10,000 houses for the masses in his upcoming budget. He criticized the high accommodation costs in the territory, noting that some businessmen who previously received free land for mass housing projects are now selling properties at exorbitant prices.
Wike made this announcement in Abuja during the ongoing Ministerial Sectoral Update, marking the first anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“In our next budget, we aim to build a Renewed Hope City. This will be for affordable housing, not for the wealthy. We will provide infrastructure, build, and allocate the houses to the poor. Our goal is to construct 10,000 houses for the underprivileged,” he stated.
The minister also urged the National Assembly to review the laws against vandalism in the FCT, arguing that the current minor fines are insufficient to deter criminal activities.
“For instance, streetlights in Abuja are often vandalized shortly after installation. Cables are cut, and when vandals are prosecuted, the law only imposes a N10,000 fine, which is not a significant deterrent. We have asked the National Assembly to amend and strengthen the law to discourage vandalism of our infrastructure,” he explained.