Lawmakers Question Effectiveness Of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Housing Scheme

Concerns over the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Housing (RHH) scheme sparked intense debate during the 2024 budget defence session of the Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development.

Naijaonpoint gathered that lawmakers expressed doubts about whether the housing initiative was truly benefiting ordinary Nigerians, its intended audience.

The session, held on Tuesday, saw legislators press Abdullahi Gwarzo, the Minister of State for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, for clarification on the difference between the RHH scheme and the National Housing Program.

Gwarzo admitted to not fully understanding the distinction, saying, “I’m yet to understand the difference between the two.” This admission raised eyebrows among lawmakers.

Gwarzo’s disclosure that over 7,500 housing units were under construction, with 3,000 completed, did little to assuage doubts. Senator Abdul Ningi questioned the projects’ visibility and impact, asking, “Are these projects truly reaching ordinary Nigerians? Who are the beneficiaries?”

Ningi’s scepticism triggered a heated exchange among committee members, briefly disrupting the session before order was restored.

The committee chair directed Gwarzo to return next Tuesday with a comprehensive report detailing the progress and impact of the housing initiatives. The chair also emphasized the need for transparency in such critical projects.

During the session, Gwarzo also addressed the utilization of the ₦100 billion 2023 supplementary budget allocated for various housing-related initiatives.

“The amount released so far was utilized to pay outstanding certificates of payments owed to contractors for projects such as the Renewed Hope Housing Cities and estates, completion of the National Housing Programme, construction and rehabilitation of federal secretariats, and general infrastructure improvements across the country,” Gwarzo explained