By Philomina Brando
A heated exchange erupted among senators yesterday during the budget defense of the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development. The bone of contention was the implementation of the Renewed Hope Housing project, a flagship program of the Tinubu administration aimed at providing affordable housing for Nigerians.
Trouble started when Minister of State Yusuf Abdullahi Gwarzo presented the 2024 budget performance, revealing that over 7,500 housing units were under construction, with 3,000 completed across various regions. However, some lawmakers questioned the project’s impact, public awareness, and geographical spread.
Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi) expressed skepticism, saying, “I’ve been a senator for over a year, and I’ve never seen or heard of these projects in my constituency. Are these housing units a reality for Nigerians or just on paper?” He also queried the ministry’s transparency, insisting that N22.6 billion was unaccounted for from the 2023 supplementary budget.
In response, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South) defended the ministry, saying, “The Renewed Hope Housing programme is duly on course. The programme is fully known to Nigerians.” He attributed the delay in project implementation to the time required for land acquisition, surveys, and construction.
The committee chairman, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, intervened, directing Gwarzo to return on Tuesday with detailed information on the housing initiatives. “This committee will not tolerate half-baked presentations. You must come back on Monday with detailed reports,” Tambuwal warned.