Abuja — Federal Government yesterday approved the immediate removal from office of the Acting Managing Directing of the Federal Housing Authority, Mr. Felix Koyenkan.

The statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Minister, Mr. Toni Akuneme, which conveyed President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's approval, said government has appointed a new Acting Managing Director, Mr. Jube Jemide, a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development to replace him.

The development is coming as the Ministry gave details of 31 ecological contracts awarded by the Federal Government at the cost N11bn.

The details which was contained in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, showed that Anambra state had the highest amount of N482m for the control and remediation of erosion menace in Nawfia and Orumba South Local Government Areas, followed by Ogun State with N299.5m to tackle environmental degradation in Ojodu-Abiodun area.

Justifying the sack of the Managing Director, the government said the action was part of the move to reposition the agency for improved performance.

Akuneme said the new MD hails from Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State and is a 1979 graduate of Architectural Engineering of Tennessee State Uninersity United States of America.

A letter from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) also directed the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry to establish an administrative machinery to investigate allegations levelled against Koyenkan over his performance as the Managing Director of FHA.

"Federal Government directs the establishement of administrative machinery by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry to investigate the specific allegations levelled against the former Managing Director of FHA, " the letter signed by Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed on behalf of SGF said.

It also asked the Minister to effect the appointment of of a substantive Managing Director and three Executive Directors within three months.