The Rivers State Government has called on the management of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), operators of the National Housing Fund (NHF), to ensure that civil servants in the state benefit from their mortgage schemes.
The Head of Service, Rivers State, Mrs. Inyingi S. I. Brown, made the call when she received a delegation from the Federal Mortgage Bank, Port Harcourt Branch, during a courtesy visit to her office in Port Harcourt.
Mrs. Brown noted that over the years, the Federal Mortgage Bank has not fully met the expectations of civil servants, explaining that at the inception of the National Housing Fund (NHF), many workers believed the scheme would enable them to own a house before retirement.
She said this optimism accounted for the willingness of workers to accept the accompanying salary deductions.
The Head of Service, therefore, advocated a review of the relevant statutes governing the NHF to remove existing bottlenecks and make the scheme more affordable and accessible to all civil servants.
Speaking on the need to formalize partnership arrangements, Mrs. Brown directed the delegation to re-submit the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to her office for consideration and onward transmission to the Ministry of Justice for legal advice.
She explained that the MoU had not been signed earlier due to certain complexities in its provisions, particularly clauses relating to penalties for defaulting beneficiaries.
Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the delegation and Branch Manager of the Federal Mortgage Bank, Port Harcourt Office, Melody B. Ukwa, expressed appreciation to the Head of Service for the warm reception accorded them, and congratulated her on her appointment as substantive Head of Service.
Mr. Ukwa thanked the Rivers State Government for supporting the National Housing Fund scheme through consistent contributions.
He, however, explained that civil servants in the state were not yet eligible to access the Home Renovation Loan (HRL) because the MoU between the Bank and the State Government was yet to be signed.
He stressed the importance of the loan facility, describing it as one of the major benefits available to NHF contributors.
Mr. Ukwa also disclosed that the refund of retirees’ contributions is currently ongoing and includes interest on the amounts contributed.
The Branch Manager appealed to the Head of Service to facilitate the signing of the MoU to enable Rivers State civil servants to enjoy the various mortgage loan products, just like their counterparts in other states where such agreements have been concluded.
The highlight of the visit was the presentation of a corporate gift to the Head of Service by the delegation from the Federal Mortgage Bank.
- Godam is the Head, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Head of Service, Rivers State.