Mixed reactions are trailing the plan by the Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde to renovate the government house with the sum of N63.5b.
Agodi Government House, previously known as Oke Ebo, was constructed during the colonial era.
It has served as the official residence of governors – civilian or military, who had governed the state in the past, from the defunct Western Region of Nigeria, Western State, old Oyo State and present Oyo State.
Voice Air Media learnt that since it was constructed, previous governments had at one time or the other renovated the edifice.
Governor Seyi Makinde has announced his plans to renovate the government house.
Makinde made this declaration during a recent event held in Ibadan, the state capital.
Makinde while presenting a State of the State address, held at the Oyo State House of Assembly Complex, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, noted that through several policies being implemented by the state government and its simple approach to solving complex governance issues, Oyo State has become an investment destination.
Addressing the controversies surrounding the planned reconstruction of the Oyo State Government House, he explained that the instability in foreign exchange, among other factors, is responsible for the perceived high cost of the project.
He added that the project is expected to cover the reconstruction of buildings, roads and other ancillary facilities in the Government House and adjoining chalets.
“Yesterday, I trended for the wrong reason, because people were saying we want to spend N63bn to renovate the Government House.
“My answer to them is just to point our attention to one thing and I want you to listen to me attentively.
“Before I came into office, the previous administration took a loan of $200m from the World Bank for the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP). As of the time I came in on May 29, 2019, that dollar-denominated loan was in the book of Oyo State as N70bn, because a dollar to a Naira was around N350. We were paying about N700 million every month to service the loan. But we finished the IUFMP, though, before I came in, $100m had been spent and $50m committed.
“This administration was supposed to spend N$50m to complete the projects but we did not spend the amount. We honoured all the commitments made by the previous administration, and returned $18m to the World Bank, which we didn’t spend. That was how we have managed the project prudently in Oyo State. But that is not even where I am going.
“My point is, in 2019 in the Oyo State books, N70bn was what Oyo State owed. Fast-forward to today, the IUFMP project is completed without adding one inch of drainage to the project, but simply by the exchange rate movement, Oyo State today owes N320bn. This is because the N70bn calculated as N350 to one dollar in 2019 is now the same amount, but it is now calculated at about N1,540 to the dollar. That is our reality. We have now moved from paying N700m on the IUFMP loan when I came in, to now paying N3bn to service that loan monthly now.
“Can we sleep when it is raining? Yes, because the IUFMP has basically tamed the issue of erosion. We have an Advanced Warning System installed in that place. But, my point is, to manage our exchange rate is not for me to determine in Oyo State. It is on the exclusive list. But whatever it is, we will do what is in the best interest of our state”.
According to report, some stakeholders have condemned the plan by the government.
Some of those who spoke are the major opposition political parties in the state, All Progressives Congress (APC), Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) and a chieftain of APC, Engineer Hakeem Oyedele Alao.
Rescind your decision now – APC urges Makinde
The Oyo State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), advised the governor to rescind his decision.
APC made this declaration via a statement issued and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Olawale Sadare.
The statement was made available to the Newsmen on Sunday.
Sadare told the governor to reverse his decision to spend a whooping N63.5billion to renovate Agodi Government House.
He described the decision as the height of profligacy, insensitivity and impunity, which had the tendency to further wreck the economy of the state.
According to him, “We watched keenly as concerned individuals and groups across the globe condemned the decision of Gov. Makinde to record another ugly stride in his penchant for financial recklessness and wasting of public funds through the payment of huge sums on white elephant projects and misplaced priorities.
“Interestingly, most of those who did not take us seriously when we raised the alarm on the production of 212,505 copies of exercise books for public school pupils at the rate of N2100 per copy in 2019 are now the leading voices against the same Gov. Makinde.
“To make the matter, Gov. Makinde failed to justify the decision to expend so much billions on the renovation of structures which had been built to last decades several years ago and renovated to taste by the immediate past administration of the ever-neat and classy Senator Abiola Ajimobi in 2017.
“All that played out in Gov. Makinde’s official address to the state lawmakers at the Oyo State House of Assembly on Thursday was a futile attempt to cover up a case of brazen corruption and impunity.
“At the same time, Gov. Makinde has a lot to tell the world about a criminal case of contract splitting which has been established in the ongoing upgrade of Alakia Airport because he has not explained why he had to release another N10billion and now N14.3billion for the the same project estimated to gulp N14.3billion to complete and after full payment had been made, the governor keeps making fresh budget as extra billions are being paid by the state government.
“On the issue of aircrafts, it is another conduit through which a few individuals around the corridor of power would siphon public funds.
“The best thing which Gov. Makinde would do is to pay for two new airplanes from the coffers of the state and then bring one tokunboh private jet which would move him and his cronies around the world at the expense of the masses.
“Meanwhile, aircrafts are not what Oyo state needs at the moment to combat crime but synergy among stakeholders, motivation of security agents and deployment of relevant technologies as the idea of surveillance with airplane is premature”.
It is a misplaced priority – SPN tackles Makinde
Oyo State chapter of Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) in its reaction, described the decision as a misplaced priority.
SPN made this declaration via a statement signed by its Secretary, Ayodeji Adigun.
The statement was made available to the Newsmen on Monday.
SPN added that Makinde’s attempt to attribute the current debt crisis solely to previous administrations is both disingenuous and evasive.
“The attention of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), Oyo State Chapter, has been drawn to the justification by Engr. Seyi Makinde-led government for its decision to allocate the colossal sum of N63.4 billion for the renovation of the Government House.
“The administration’s claim that this expenditure is necessary to address the effects of exchange rate volatility and the burden of debt servicing is weak, fundamentally flawed, and completely lacks merit.
“We of the SPN, therefore, maintain that the approval of N63.4 billion for the renovation of the Government House, amidst deepening economic hardship faced by the overwhelming majority of working people in Oyo State, remains a glaring example of misplaced priorities.
“Governor Makinde’s attempt to attribute the current debt crisis solely to previous administrations is both disingenuous and evasive. While it is true that past governments contributed to the debt burden, the current administration has also significantly escalated the state’s debt profile through questionable expenditures and unsustainable borrowing.
“According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), as of 2019, before the Makinde-led administration took office, the total debt incurred by the successive governments, including the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi-led regime, stood at approximately N129 billion. This comprised N94 billion in domestic debt and N32 billion in external debt. However, within just 15 months of Governor Makinde’s tenure, this figure reportedly rose by N140 billion, bringing the total debt burden to around N266 billion.
“In light of this, it is both hypocritical and misleading to lay all the blame on previous administrations while ignoring the fiscal recklessness carried out by the current regime. Even more troubling is the administration’s decision to prioritise an extravagant and non-essential project like the renovation of the Government House, especially during a time of widespread economic distress.
“The notion that exchange rate challenges and debt repayment obligations justify such lavish expenditure defies logic. If anything, these challenges should have prompted the government to cut the jumbo pays and opulent lifestyles of top government functionaries as well as its spending on prestige projects and cronyism, and instead channel scarce public resources into areas that directly address the critical needs of the working masses.
“Also deeply concerning is the simultaneous proposal to procure aircraft for security surveillance. While we recognise the importance of public safety, spending public funds on aircraft in a state where public hospitals lack basic medical equipment, public schools are in disrepair, and rural communities remain grossly underserved is both indefensible and irresponsible. These initiatives reveal a government more interested in prestige and luxury than in the real struggles of ordinary people”.
Demand accountability from Makinde – APC chieftain, Alao tells lawmakers, residents
On his part, a chieftain of the APC, Engineer Oyedele Hakeem Alao has advised members of the State House of Assembly and residents of the state to demand accountability from the governor.
Alao made this declaration via a statement made available to the Newsmen.
The APC chieftain condemned Makinde for allegedly planning to spend the state taxpayers’ money on projects not captured in the 2025 budget, describing the move as a gross misplacement of priorities and a reckless waste of public funds.
Alao called on the state House of Assembly and people of the state to demand transparency and accountability.
He insisted that all government spending must strictly follow the law and reflect the needs of ordinary citizens.
He stated that, “At a time when Oyo State is grappling with a growing debt profile and residents are facing untold economic hardship, it is unconscionable for Governor Makinde to contemplate such extravagant spending outside the approved budget.
“Official budget documents and the governor’s own presentation to the House of Assembly show that the largest allocation for 2025 is for infrastructure, with N152 billion earmarked for critical projects like roads and public facilities, not for the reconstruction of the Government House or luxury landscaping.
“Education and health receive N145 billion and N59 billion respectively, reflecting the real priorities of the people in this period of economic instability.
“The 2025 budget is supposed to address economic hardship, boost education, and improve healthcare. Diverting funds to vanity projects not approved by the legislature is a betrayal of public trust and a slap in the face of suffering families across Oyo State”.
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