Housing Development Corporation fails to reconcile it’s 2019 accounts before House committee
Gov. Obiano
The Anambra state Housing Development Corporation, on Friday lamented the activities of land grabbers saying it hinders the delivery of housing estates to residents in the state.
Mr Willie Okafor, Managing Director of the corporation stated this while defending the corporation’s financial transactions in 2019, before the State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts.
Okafor said the corporation had put measures in place to check the activities of land speculators and land grabbers in the state.
“Before I came as managing director, the task of providing housing estates has been quit daunting.There were no housing estates being developed in Anambra due to the menace of land grabbers.
“But we are trying to check them and we have started to pay compensation to some of them so they won’t have any reason to stand in the way of government in providing housing for the people.
“It has not been easy providing housing estates but we are hopeful that before the end of this administration we will deliver three housing estates.
“We have finished with Ngozika Phase-2 estate in Awka, we have commenced work at the Green Valley Estate just by Awka/Isuaniocha borders and we have entered the Liberation Estate at Enugu-Agidi, “he said.
The Managing Director said the Gov. Willie Obiano led-administration was determined to facilitate increased access to affordable housing in the state.
On the corporation’s financial transactions for 2019, Okafor apologised to the committee that they were not able to reconcile and audit their records due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in the state.
his remarks, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze (Ogbaru Il), Chairman of the House Committee on Public Account, while commending the corporation for it efforts, expressed dissatisfaction over the financial records.
Udeze explained that the verification of the 2019 audited accounts of government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) was to ensure transparency and accountability in the utilisation of public funds.
“Public funds must be properly utilised and accounted for before the begining of another financial year. For accountability and transparency sake, you should have updated and verified your records before appearing before the committee.
“We are giving you the opportunity to go and reconcile your financial transactions for 2019 and appear before the committee again, “he said.
