Monrovia, Liberia, Tuesday, July 16, 2024 – The National Housing Authority, like many other government institutions, have suffered gaps created by low funding over the years.
Amid such billing, it seems the new management wants to move forward with some innovative ways to attract investments to the housing sector.
To get things started, Managing Director, Florence Geegbae, is pushing for an amendment of the 1960 Act which appears to be obsolete and not in conformity with current realities.
Madam Florence Geegbae said amending the Act will strengthen institutional capacity and arm the NHA with the requisite policy framework that will enhance the housing sector.
According to her, the current housing policy and regulatory framework is very weak and cannot deliver ‘world standard’ affordable housing on a sustained basis.
She maintained that the National Housing Authority needs regulatory powers to adequately control Housing development in Liberia.
Speaking on the 5050 Talk Show in Monrovia recently, Madam Geegbae added, “a lot of things have to change. We don’t have regulatory powers. In order for NHA to begin producing the way people want us to produce, we must be given some powers to regulate the housing development sector of Liberia”
The Ministry of Public Works which serves as Board Chair of the National Housing Authority, is charged with the statutory responsibility to regulate housing construction.
Despite this mandate, Housing construction seems to be inadequately regulated, prompting the need for the Country’s premier Housing Agency to take up such role.
“If you go across Liberia, people just construct anywhere. Remember, the Ministry of Public Works is our Board Chair. Land Authority is also on the Board. How do we demarcate housing, who regulates how your homes are constructed, NHA supposed to be doing that, but the 1960 Act does not give NHA powers to do that” Madam Florence Geegbae stated on the program.
The New NHA Boss stressed that regulating housing designs and development is the surest way of bringing the sector up to international standards.
At the same time, Managing Director Geegbae has spoken of plans to build standard homes for Liberians.
She disclosed there are ongoing engagements with investors, with some already agreeing MOUs to explore investment possibilities in the housing sector.
The NHA MD is promising state-of-the- art housing development, noting that the plan is to construct smart cities that provide affordable homes for low Income, Middle Income and High-Income earners.
“In the past we just construct matches boxes we call it Estates. My plan is for us to construct Estate Cities, in fact, I want smart cities across the 15 Counties of Liberia. The government cannot shoulder everything, because there is a huge need for affordable homes for the Liberian populace”, Madam Geegbae noted.
She is of the conviction if her Management Team is well supported, they will attract massive investments to the sector to address the huge and unending need for affordable housing in Liberia.
Madam Geegbae then challenged Liberians in the diaspora to take keen interest in the Housing sector, adding they could take ownership of luxury homes that could be built when the housing sector attracts the crucially needed investments in the coming years.
The inadequate regulation of housing development over the years has resulted to an increase in slum dwellers, vulnerability to housing induced poverty, disasters, diseases and crime.
Monrovia, the Nation’s Capital is currently faced with a huge housing crisis. The ‘Urban Net’ 2022 Global Housing Crisis report shows that Liberia needs at least 200 thousand new dwelling homes to reduce current overcrowding.
For Managing Director Geegbae, there are workable formulas to address these issues and deliver up to luxury homes for Liberians if given the necessary and sufficient support by both government and development partners.