By Adeyinka Adeniran
Oyo state government has justified the proposed spending of N63.4 billion to overhaul the over 70 year old government house.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, gave the explanation in a statement on Saturday.
Recall that, the controversy concerning the amount of money to be spent on reconstructing the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan was triggered after a press release signed by the commissioner after the last Executive Council meeting held on Tuesday, 17th of June, 2025.
The Commissioner said the section of the media that touted the impression that the Government House was going to be renovated is either ignorant or mischievous.
Oyelade said, “Not once in the 21 paragraph press release, did we use the word ‘renovation,’ whereas we emphasized total overhauling and reconstruction of the old Government House.”
The Commissioner noted that the present administration has over 200 ongoing projects, including the Samuel Ladoke Akintola International Airport, the 110KM Circular Road, LAUTECH Iseyin campus, Fashola Agro-industrial hub and several other infrastructural development projects across the seven zones of the state, pointing out that, the Government House overhauling and reconstruction is just one of them.
The statement reads in part, “The Seyi Makinde administration is the least that can be accused of not getting its priorities right and for six years, the government has nurtured the finance of the state efficiently, such that the Internally Generated Revenue, (IGR), has increased by over 300 percent within this period from about N1.5billion to N7.8billion as at the end of May 2025.
“The administration has also vigorously pursued the welfare of its workers such that it would pay over N174 billion annually in salaries and wages at N14.5 billion monthly, to the largest state workforce in Nigeria.”
The Commissioner further said, an administration that has employed over 27,000 workers, spent a record N13 billion on gratuities and pension for the aged, subsidizes the transportation fare of over 42,000 commuters everyday till date and promoted 45 permanent secretaries in one fell swoop, cannot be accused of profligacy.
“On the reconstruction and overhauling of the Government House itself, 21 structures would be affected.
“The decrepit presidential lodge and the banquet hall, which will be ready for the State’s 50th anniversary celebration next year February, will be totally reconstructed while the Governor and the Deputy Governor’s main residences will be overhauled and structural, architectural, mechanical and electrical works will be comprehensively carried out.
“Also affected are several Quarters and charlets for visitors, senior and junior staff, whose duties would necessitate dwelling in the Government House”, the statement added.
According to Prince Oyelade, the mosque, church, external botanical garden, roadworks, landscaping, fencing and furniture are also affected in the reconstruction.
He noted, “It is instructive that the new Government House will also accommodate a helipad to allow VIP visitors including the presidency, fellow Governors, important dignitaries and the host Governor himself to commute seamlessly to and from their destinations in helicopters.
“In arriving at this decision, the State Governor had factored-in, the pride of the State, a befitting official residences for the numbers one and two citizens of the State and a legacy of a beautiful ambience for a place that once had the likes of Sir. John Rankin, Sir. Adesoji Aderemi and others as tenants.”
The Commissioner for Information described as laughable and kindergarten the suggestion by a potential gubernatorial candidate in 2027 that the people of Oyo State would be better served by distributing N3 million of the N63.4 billion to 20,000 citizens.
“Those who live in Oyo State know that, that is a poor imitation of the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) program of Governor Seyi Makinde that is impacting effectively in the lives of the people since the wake of the removal of fuel subsidy.
“The overhauling and reconstruction of the Government House is yet another legacy that the Seyi Makinde administration will bequeath to the people of Oyo State”, the statement added.
