PROPERTY NEWS

Afresh wave of enthusiasm last week in Abuja swept across the civil service physical development sector as newly-appointed helmsmen assumed duty.

The tough-talking ministers promptly went to work, saying that, with the cooperation of staffers, things would change for the better.

Not surprisingly as it had controversially been the case in the past, the somewhat hydra-headed Works, Housing & Urban Development Ministry was once again split into two, such that Permanent Secretary, Dr. Tukur Bello Ingawa, curiously prepared two separate notes (which he handed over) on the ministry’s new offspring: Works; as well as Lands, Housing & Urban Development.

Indeed, the new ministers " Senator Sanusi Mohammed Daggash (Works), Mr. Chris Ogiemwonyi (State, Works) and Mr. Nduese Essien (Lands, Housing and Urban Development) " resumed duties last Wednesday with calls on members of staff to lend a hand in their bid to ensure speedy delivery of usable roads and more homes for Nigerians.

Daggash observed that roads were very important to Nigerians, hence the state of roads were a constant source of diverse perceptions and comments from members of the public. He assured the staff that the new ministers would approach their duties with open minds and with the confidence that the technical staff were accomplished professionals in their various fields. But he warned that anyone proven to be challenged or incapacitated in any way would be appropriately dealt with in the interest of the public service.

He therefore charged the staff to re-double their efforts and justify the ministry’s confidence in them.

Essien noted that land reforms and the provision of housing for all Nigerians were key items in the present administration’s Seven-point Agenda, and called for more creative, strategic planning and programming to bring them to reality.

Ogiemwonyi, on his part, challenged the highways engineers in the ministry to quickly design plans and strategies for optimising construction works during the cycles of dry and rainy seasons in the country. He declared that no contracts would be given out without prior design, even as he underlined the need for greater communication between the field offices of the parastatals in the ministry and the headquarters.

Welcoming the ministers, Ingawa, assured them that the ministry had a pool of highly trained and experienced professionals in its various technical areas. He pledged the cooperation, support and loyalty of the entire staff of the ministries and their parastatals to the new ministers.

The Directors and Heads of Parastatals in the ministries were present at the reception for the new ministers at the conference room of the ministry at its Mabushi head offices.