Oyo government approves N279.5 million for council polls, N1.2 billion for new governor’s lodge
The Oyo State Executive Council has approved the sum of N279.2 million for the production of ballot papers to be used for forthcoming local government election.
The State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, who disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the 9th executive council meeting of year 2021, also stated that the production is directly awarded to the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPMC.
He said the government did this to show its seriousness and commitment towards conducting free and fair local government election.
He said: “The Council approved the production of ballot papers to be used for the forthcoming local government election, which is scheduled to hold on May 15, 2021. And the production is directly awarded to Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company.
“Also, the council approved the construction of a new Oyo State Governor’s Lodge at No 2, John Kadiya Close, Abuja, through alternative project funding approach (APFA) at the cost of N1,201,760,000.
The Commissioner for Public Works and Infrastructure, Prof. Kehinde Sangodoyin, who stated this while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the executive council meeting, added that the project will be completed in the next six months.
The commissioner stated that the lodge will have the Governor’s Lodge, Deputy Governor’s Lodge, some chalets, fittings and some furniture, which he said will be of modern type, adding that this is part of what the present administration will leave behind as legacy.
“The executive council has approved the construction of the new Governor’s Lodge at No 2. John Kadiya Close, Abuja, which is under APFA.
“The lodge has been there for a while and our government noticed the dilapidated condition. The new lodge will have the Governor’s Lodge, Deputy Governor’s Lodge, some chalets, fittings and some furniture, which will be of modern type. This is part of what the administration will leave behind.
“The edifice will cost the government of Oyo State the sum of N1,201,760,000 only. Once the construction has been awarded, the duration for the completion of the project is just six months.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Barr. Abiodun Abdu-Raheem, said the council approved the construction of two modern Government Reserved Areas for residents of Oyo State, adding that new GRAs will be well-packaged so that they can meet the test of time.
He said the two GRAs are the late Lere Adigun GRA, which is behind the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) and the other one is named after Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, which is along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
“Furthermore, we have two GRAs that we have packaged in a way that shows a new narrative that is different from what we are used to. “You know that the GRAs we have in Ibadan don’t have the infrastructure but the new ones we are bringing on board are well-packaged and they can meet the test of time.
“The GRAs on the ground now are late Lere Adigun GRA, which is behind BCOS, and the other one is named after Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, which is along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. We have been welcoming applications on these GRAs.”
