The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has harshly rebuked the state Assembly for approving a N20bn infrastructure loan from a commercial bank for the Seyi Makinde-led administration.

The APC also accused the Makinde administration of not upholding the tradition of prudent management of the state’s scarce resources.

The Oyo State Government had on Tuesday, May 19th, 2020, announced that it had gotten the state assembly’s approval to collect the loan for the development of infrastructure in the state.

In a statement signed by its state Assistant Publicity Secretary, Ayobami Adejumo, the APC in Oyo said,

The administration of Governor Seyi Makinde has failed to sustain the legacy of prudent and accountable management of resources. In less than a year, the table has turned for the bad as what the people of Oyo State experience at the moment is a government without direction.

The whole world was again taken aback, on Tuesday, when it was reported that Governor Makinde was to get a fresh loan of N20bn. That brought the sum total of loan facilities already taken, in about 11 months, to over N40bn. The previous being a N10bn Infrastructure loan; N7.6billion Agricultural loan purportedly for the upgrade of two farm settlements in Akufo and Eruwa; and another N2.5bn health loan.

All this happened at the same period when monthly federal allocations, refunds from the Federal Government, monetary grants and donations came in simultaneously and without anything to show for it.

Makinde stated during his 2019 electioneering that if he became the governor of Oyo State, he would improve the economy of the state such that in just six months salaries and pensions would be paid without relying on monthly handouts from Abuja or loan facilities.

More importantly, we are calling on the state House of Assembly to grow from being active only when there are loan request or fresh appointments to approve by being responsive to their constitutional duties which include the governor on the issue of financial recklessness and high handedness.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.