The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa is seeking for more funds for seven critical programmes of the housing sector.

These projects he said include the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Housing Programme and Slump Upgrading and Urban Renewal Programme and others.

Dangiwa made the call during the budget defence session of the Senate Committee on Housing held on Monday at the National Assembly, Complex.

“I wish to request that the Distinguished Chairman and Members of this very important Committee use their good offices to increase the budgetary allocation in severn key areas.

“This is in view of the fact that these areas are very critical to the Transformative Policies and Programmes of Mr President to put the economy on the part of recovery and growth.

“It is pertinent to state here that in 2024 fiscal year the sum of N162.609 billion
was allocated to our Ministry, which amount was considered inadequate.

“Yet, we have been given an envelope of
N83.752 billion in 2025 as the Ministry’s Capital Budget Ceiling for 2025 which is a far cry from even the 2024 Appropriation”.

He said that the Renewed Hope Cities and Estates Housing Programme was designed to be catalyst for economic growth.

“The construction and development of these new areas will generate employment opportunities, stimulate local businesses and attract investments.

“The 50,000 units planned to deliver under phase I will create 1, 250, 000 direct and indirect construction jobs for Architects, Engineers, plumbers, iron benders, masons etc.

“This is in addition to the value chain effect of purchase, supply of building materials and other businesses.

“Currently, we have covered 12 States and would like to cover 18 States at 250 units per site. The amount needed to achieve this N108 billion at N6 billion per state.

He said that the “Slump Upgrading and Urban Renewal Programme” also required increased budgetary allocation.

“Currently, there are ongoing programmes in four states of each geopolitical zone including FCT.

“This means four sites in four states of each geopolitical zone including four sites in FCT, bringing the total to hundred 100 sites. At least N100 billion is needed for better result to be achieved,” he said.

Dangiwa further said that the ministry was exposed to huge amounts of liabilities amounting from projects completed, duly certified for payments before the end of the budgetary year but were not paid due to limited time.

“There is the need to make adequate provision for liabilities to enable the ministry reduce the amount of liabilities it is exposed to.

“The Ministry has over N92 billion liabilities but would need nothing less than N60 billion in the 2025 Budget to reduce the exposure,” Dangiwa said.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing, Sen. Aminu Tambuwal, assured the minister of support to tackle the issues of liabilities incurred.

“We will support you by making sure that we can work together to see how best we can approach the Minister of Finance, the budget office, and even the Presidency.

“How best we can really get this debt relief on the part of the ministry and on the part of our contractors”.(NAN)

Hon. Temilola Adibi, a former member of the House of Representatives, has died.

He was aged 64.

He represented the Ogbomoso North/Ogbomoso South/Oriire federal constituency in Oyo State from 1999 to 2003 on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy party.

His death reportedly happened on Tuesday morning.

Adibi reportedly died after going for a jog in Ilorin, Kwara State, where he had been living.

A close associate said that Adibi had been in good health prior to his sudden death.

He had spoken with people the night before and even posted on his WhatsApp status at 4 a.m. before his death.

Adibi was well-known and respected in Oyo State for his contributions to local governance and community development.

In addition to his time in the House of Representatives, he also held important roles, such as Chairman of the Oyo State Sports Council and Director-General of the Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA).

He further served as Director-General of the Bill and Signage Board during Governor Seyi Makinde’s first term.

Earlier in his career, Adibi had been the Chairman of the Ogbomoso North Local Government Area.

By Francesca Hangeior

As President Donald Trump cracks down on immigrants in the U.S. illegally, some families are wondering if it is safe to send their children to school.

In many districts, educators have sought to reassure immigrant parents that schools are safe places for their kids, despite the president’s campaign pledge to carry out mass deportations. But fears intensified for some when the Trump administration announced Tuesday it would allow federal immigration agencies to make arrests at schools, churches and hospitals, ending a decades-old policy.

“Oh, dear God! I can’t imagine why they would do that,” said Carmen, an immigrant from Mexico, after hearing that the Trump administration had rescinded the policy against arrests in “sensitive locations.”

She plans to take her two grandchildren, ages 6 and 4, to their school Wednesday in the San Francisco Bay Area unless she hears from school officials it is not safe.

“What has helped calm my nerves is knowing that the school stands with us and promised to inform us if it’s not safe at school,” said Carmen, who spoke on condition that only her first name be used, out of fear she could be targeted by immigration officials.

Immigrants across the country have been anxious about Trump’s pledge to deport millions of people. While fears of raids did not come to pass on the administration’s first day, rapid changes on immigration policy have left many confused and uncertain about their future.

At a time when many migrant families — even those in the country legally — are assessing whether and how to go about in public, many school systems are watching for effects on student attendance. Several schools said they were fielding calls from worried parents about rumors that immigration agents would try to enter schools, but it was too early to tell whether large numbers of families are keeping their children home.

Missing school can deprive students of more than learning. For students from low-income families, including many immigrants, schools are a primary way to access food, mental health services and other support.

Tuesday’s move to clear the way for arrests at schools reverses guidance that restricted two federal agencies — Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection from carrying out enforcement in sensitive locations. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said: “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”

Daniela Anello, who heads D.C. Bilingual Public Charter School in the nation’s capital, said she was shocked by the announcement.

“It’s horrific,” Anello said. “There’s no such thing as hiding anyone. It doesn’t happen, hasn’t happened. … It’s ridiculous.”

An estimated 733,000 school-aged children are in the U.S. illegally, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Many more have U.S. citizenship but have parents who are in the country illegally.