The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has warned Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde against diverting the €55 million French Government concessional loan secured for the rehabilitation of health facilities in the state.
The organisation, in a statement, alleged that the loan, valued at about N85 billion, could be diverted to hastily conceived projects ahead of the 2027 elections.
It urged the governor to deploy the funds strictly to improving the state’s healthcare infrastructure, stressing that repayment of the loan would begin under the next administration.
The group claimed Makinde had constituted a committee to determine how the funds would be quickly deployed to projects ahead of the end of his administration.
It also raised concerns over the state government’s finances, citing the Oyo State House of Assembly’s approval in June for the governor to raise a N200 billion bond to refinance existing debts.
The organisation questioned the timing of the borrowing decisions, coming months before the end of the administration and amid preparations for the 2027 general elections.
“It beggars belief that these developments are coming against the background that monthly allocations to the state and the 33 local government councils have quadrupled in the last three and a half years as a result of the removal of petrol subsidy,” the group said.
The organisation said it would support genuine efforts to improve healthcare delivery but demanded full disclosure of the loan’s terms, disbursement schedule, contractors, procurement process, implementation timeline and beneficiary hospitals.
It warned against inflated contracts, hurried procurement, questionable consultancy fees and projects allegedly designed primarily to serve political interests.
“With the administration approaching its end, Governor Makinde must resist the temptation to commit the state to opaque contracts or commence projects that cannot be completed and independently verified before he leaves office,” it said.
The group also called on the Oyo State House of Assembly, civil society organisations, professional healthcare bodies and the media to monitor the utilisation of the funds.
It said residents needed functional hospitals, trained medical personnel, essential medicines and modern medical equipment rather than cosmetic renovations or abandoned projects.
The organisation added that public borrowing should be guided by transparency and measurable value, stressing that loans obtained in the name of the people must produce sustainable benefits.
It said it would continue to scrutinise the deployment of state resources and hold the administration accountable for what it described as questionable expenditure.