The House of Representatives on Tuesday said it would investigate the management and status of monies contributed into the National Housing Fund by public servants 23 years after its inception.
The House also resolved that civil servants who had contributed into the fund for up to 10 years should be allowed to withdraw their money.
It added that contributors could also seek alternative options to their housing needs due to the “unrealistic status of the funds in the hands of government”.
The resolutions followed a motion sponsored by Rep. Johnson Odionwele (Edo-PDP), which was unanimously adopted by members.
Moving the motion, Odionwele explained that since subscription to the housing fund commenced 23 years ago, nothing had been heard from the government on how the funds were being managed.
He said nothing had also been known about the status of monies contributed by the workers.
According to him, those charged with the management of the fund have maintained blind eyes to the plight of civil servants.
The lawmaker said a lot of the contributors to the fund had died without benefitting from the fund.
Odionwele said: “As we speak, 23 years after the establishment of the fund, there are no visible signs of the envisaged mass housing project or any known beneficiary of the scheme.
“Yet, the contributions have continued as deductions are still being made at source.”
Contributing, Rep. Joseph Adelaja (Ondo-PDP) said: “I support this motion totally and I urge my colleagues to key into it so that something must be done about this issue.
“It is time to call the attention of government as the people’s parliament that the rights of Nigerians must not be trampled upon.”
Rep. Darlington Nwokocha (Abia-PDP) said many people who had invested their money should reap the benefits of their investment.
Nwokocha said: “I am in support that this fund be investigated and those whose money has been taken should be made to benefit through government investment in the housing sector.
“This will reduce the huge housing deficit in the country.”
On his part, Rep. Johnson Agbonayinman (Edo-PDP) said the development must be checked and examples made of those responsible for the management and delivery of the scheme “for future reference”.
Agbonayinman said: “Mr. Speaker, for monies to be collected from Nigerians for 23 years and not been put to use for the benefit of the people is a total failure and unacceptable to this House.
“I support this motion wholeheartedly because this motion stands to defend the people of this nation, that those who rob others of their legitimate rights must be made to pay for their atrocities against the people.”
The Chairman of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas (Adamawa-APC), in his reaction, said: “I just want to add that it is like each time people want to do things to better their future, the state sabotages them.
“If I was a civil servant and I contribute to a fund for 23 years without knowing the fate of my money, I won’t be a happy man.
“So I urge this House to look into this matter and do justice accordingly.”
The House therefore urged its Committee on Housing to obtain from the Federal Mortgage Bank details of the contributions of workers since the scheme began.
The committee was also directed to determine what use the funds had been put over the years and report back within eight weeks.
NAN.