FRC Raises Concern Over Slow Progress at Delta Renewed Hope Housing Project
The Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development have expressed concern over the slow pace and quality of construction at the Renewed Hope Affordable Housing Programme project in the Asaba-Uvwie-Ekpan axis of Delta State.
The concerns followed an inspection of the 96-unit housing project by the FRC South-South Verification Team on Selected Federal Government Projects during its ongoing physical verification exercise across the region.
During the visit, the team discovered that only four of the 96 housing units were nearing completion. Several other components, including roofing and supporting infrastructure, were either unfinished or had yet to be attended to.
The team leader and Head of the FRC Strategic Communications Directorate, Bede Ogueri Anyanwu, expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of construction and the quality of work observed at the site.
He explained that the Renewed Hope Affordable Housing Programme was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve living conditions and expand Nigerians’ access to affordable housing and essential services.
According to him, the progress recorded at the Delta project did not reflect the programme’s objectives. He called on the contractors to return to the site and complete their respective assignments in line with the required standards.
Anyanwu specifically urged Goodnews Creative Ideas Limited and First Class Capital Project Limited to resume work and address outstanding construction tasks, particularly the roofing of the buildings.
The verification team also observed that wind had damaged some roofing sheets installed on sections of the buildings that had been completed. The damage raised questions about the durability of the materials used and the quality of the workmanship.
The team further requested explanations for the failure to commence several components of the project, even though the contracts were reportedly awarded in 2024.
The contractors and consultants identified during the inspection included Gozcon Investment, which is responsible for electricity works; Blue Sea Investment Limited, handling road and drainage infrastructure; and Goodnews Creative Ideas Limited, also assigned road and drainage works.
Ecosphere Consulting Limited was engaged as the consultant for the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment of the Renewed Hope Estate project in Delta State.
The representative of the Controller of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in Delta State, Uche Nwati, was invited to explain the project’s status and the reasons for the limited progress recorded.
Nwati attributed some of the challenges to what he described as inadequate feasibility studies conducted before the contracts were awarded. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the level of work completed at the site.
The FRC verification team emphasised that contractors handling Federal Government projects must deliver according to approved specifications, agreed timelines and quality standards.
It noted that compliance was particularly important for projects intended to provide essential social infrastructure and improve the living conditions of Nigerians.
The commission is currently conducting physical verification of selected Federal Government projects across the South-South geopolitical zone. The exercise is designed to assess implementation progress, ensure value for money and determine whether projects meet approved standards and specifications.
