We will withdraw from housing fund over non-remittance – NLC tells FG

Following the non-remittance of deduction, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to pull out civil servants from the National Housing Fund’s (NHF) contributory funds scheme over non-remittance of deduction made.

The NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero said this on Wednesday when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Non-Remittance to the NHF and Utilisation of the Funds from 2011 till Date.

Comrade Ajaero said that the FBN had failed to send alerts to civil servants on how much they have been contributing, including their monthly deductions.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday threatened the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to pull out civil servants from the National Housing Fund’s (NHF) contributory funds scheme over non-remittance of deduction made.

Comrade Joe Ajaero, President, NLC, made the intention known when he appeared before the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Non-Remittance to the NHF and Utilisation of the Funds from 2011 till Date.

Comrade Ajaero said that the FBN had failed to send alerts to civil servants on how much they have been contributing, including their monthly deductions.

He urged the lawmakers to take drastic steps to remove the encumbrances of affordable and quality housing for 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 past Managing Director of FMBN, Mr Ahmed Dangiwa, now the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, said he left behind N120 billion in the bank coffers.

According to him, “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 that despite these milestones, millions of Nigerian workers who are in line with sections 4 and 10 of the Act cannot access finance to acquire, build or renovate personal housing property.

“While the Act provides for 90 days from the date of application for the loan to disbursement, the experience of many workers is horrific as the undue delay in approving the loans forces many workers to abandon the pursuit of the loan

(Tribune)