Gbenga Ashafa, the Federal Housing Authority CEO, has called on the Nigerian Navy to pay outstanding rent it owes the FHA and urged increased synergy between the agency and the navy in the running of housing estate across the country.

This was contained in a statement by FHA spokesman, Kenneth Chigelu, issued on Thursday.

Mr Chigelu said FHA boss made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo on Wednesday, in Abuja.

Mr Ashafa traced the long-standing cordial relationship between the FHA and the navy, to the early 1980s. He recalled when the navy acquired houses at FHA in Gowon Estate; Ipaja and FESTAC town, all in Lagos, as well as Gwarinpa II Estate, Abuja.

The FHA boss noted that the same good relationship made FHA to offer its estate at Yenagoa, Bayelsa, to the navy. He called for a more robust relationship between the two organisations for mutual benefit.

Mr Ashafa also called for the intervention of the CNS “in resolving the issue of outstanding payment of premium and ground rents by the Navy in Gowon Estate, Ipaja, Lagos.”

Responding, Mr Gambo thanked the management for the visit and expressed the commitment of the navy to partner with the FHA in the provision of housing, especially in acquiring another one in Yenagoa.

He said a committee, to be headed by the executive director of the Housing Finance, Adama Kure, was in place for the resolution of the issues on premium and ground rent at Gowon Estate, Ipaja,

(NAN)