No data lost in FMBN fire – Housing minister

…inspects burnt headquarters, vows accountability

By John Alechenu

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqa Rabe Darma, has assured Nigerians that neither critical records nor customer data were lost in the fire incident at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN, headquarters in Abuja.

Darma gave the assurance after inspecting the extent of damage done to the building.

The minister, who led a team of ministry officials to the site on Tuesday, expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost during the inferno that took place on Saturday.

Darma received briefings from top management and technical staff of the FMBN on the possible cause (s) of the incident, extent of damage and measures put in place to ensure continuity of operations.

Thereafter, the minister, who was also given a tour of the damaged section of the building, noted that the fire was limited to a section of the second floor. Preliminary investigations, he noted, suggest an electrical fault, but a full probe by relevant experts is still ongoing.

He later said, “Anyone found negligent in the discharge of their duties, following the conclusion of investigations, will be held accountable.”

Darma however commended FMBN for digitising its operations, saying the bank’s cloud-based backup system safeguarded all critical customer information and operational documents.

“I’m convinced by the management that nothing is really lost, except the physical structure of the building,” he said.

Darma further said, “I came to the computer room and they showed me the records saved on the cloud. They have actually digitised their entire system, and the fire consumed only the paperwork that was there.

“I assure Nigerians that they should continue to patronise the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. The bank is fully operational and services have not been disrupted.”

The minister used the occasion to reaffirm the Federal Government’s commitment to affordable housing, saying ongoing reforms at FMBN would improve mortgage delivery.

“I assure Nigerians that the 100,000 housing units Mr. President promised in four years will come to pass, and we will tell every single person exactly where those housing units are,” Darma said.

He disclosed that the Federal Government has directed FMBN to strengthen its internal processes to raise mortgage access to about 2,000 mortgages annually.

“As part of the policy reformulation of the Bank, we have asked FMBN to look into its internal arrangements and improve mortgage access to about 2,000 mortgages in a year,” he stated.

FMBN management confirmed that the bank remains open and is cooperating with relevant authorities on the investigation.

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