Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to pull out workers from the National Housing Fund’s (NHF) contributory funds over non-remittance of deduction made.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the threat in Abuja, yesterday, while appearing before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Non-remittance to the NHF and Utilisation of the funds from 2011 till date.
Ajaero said Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has failed to send alerts to civil servants how much they have been contributing, including their monthly deduction.
He urged the lawmakers to take drastic steps to remove the encumbrances to affordable and quality housing to millions of Nigerians, especially workers who make the most contributions to the NHF.
This, according to him, is as identified in the memorandum and other memoranda submitted to the committee.
According to him, the immediate FMBN past managing director, Ahmed Dangiwa, now Minister of Housing and Urban Development, said he left behind N120 billion in the coffers of the bank. “He said he was able to mobilise N249.1 billion to Nigeria’s housing fund, and increased subscription to 197,000 between 2017 and 2022.”
He said in spite of the milestones, millions of Nigerian workers who were in line with Sections 4 and 10 of the Act were unable to access finance to acquire, build or renovate personal housing property. He said the ease of reimbursement to retired workers of contributed funds even after failure to access housing loans is also cumbersome and unnerving.
He said in spite making the statutory contributions of 2.5 per cent of annual salary to the NHF, many workers were unable to access the loan due mainly to administrative bottlenecks.
“While the Act provides for 90 days from the date of application for the loan disbursement, the experience by many workers are horrific as the undue delay in approving the loans force many workers to abandon pursuit of the loan.”
He said many resort to third party agencies to fast-track the loan application at unofficial fees thus creating perception of corruption in the process of housing loan approval and disbursement to workers who needed the funds.
Managing Director, Madu Hamman, said the total amount of contribution from ministries, departments and agencies from 2011 till date was N238 billion, adding that individuals contribution from 2011 till date was N225 million
He said the ministerial housing scheme was N34.5 billion.
Chairman of the committee, Musa Bagos, said should the committee continue with the hearing, many officials of FMBN would be on their way to Kuje Prison.
Bagos adjourned hearing to today following a request by the managing director to enable them put all the necessary documents together.