Fashola says institutionalising transparency, technology key to advance built industry

Mr Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing, says institutionalising transparency, efficiency, safety, innovation and technology are key to advancing the built industry.

Fashola said this at the opening of a two-day Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Building Expo 2020.

He was represented by Mrs Ukaria Anozie of Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.

The theme of the expo is “Consolidating the Ease of Doing Business in the Real Estate Industry”.

The minister said governments at all levels should not be caught stifling the growth of enterprise or frustrating the efforts of citizens at self-improvement and development.

“The focus must be on institutionalising transparency, efficiency, safety, innovation and technology.

“We must streamline and simplify government processes in the built industry and REDAN must be at the fore in agitating for this, both at state and federal levels.

“To consolidate our achievement on Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), we must look beyond the pace at which businesses are registered, licensed or kick-started and begin to review our entire bureaucratic bottlenecks or improved performances.

“As stakeholders, we must appreciate the need for capacity development, personnel training, professionalism and ethics in all spheres of our endeavours,’’ Fashola said.

He added that the ministry had, in the past one year, issued 1,500 Certificate of Occupancy and 598 Consents to the general public.

The minister encouraged REDAN to serve as a catalyst in the development of the Nigerian economy.

He added that the government was committed to its ideals and was expecting its resolution at the end of the expo.

Mr Ugochukwu Chime, President REDAN, said the purpose of the exhibition was to ensure collaboration and networking among stakeholders in the building industry.

According to him, this is to have an understanding of the direction, roadmap, who does what, when and how things are done in the sector.

Chime said the choice of the theme for the year was to drive home the spirit of doing business with ease in order to enhance real estate development.

“It is difficult for you to start and conclude a transaction in the real estate industry.

“This is due to numerous bottlenecks, not only because of the funding but because the approval time for drawings, the transaction time and cost for perfecting title are another challenges.

“So, these are what we have set out to look at,’’ he said.

Chime said the two-day event would also be used to officially give certificates to the pioneer estates that signed on to the Association’s “Estate Endorsement” programme.

He said the REDAN’s endorsement of estates was targeted at enhancing the quality of estate products and its processes in Nigeria and build public trust on members’ products.

It was reported that six companies were given certificates of endorsement by the association.