The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organization has warned Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, against diverting the €55 million French Government concessional loan secured for healthcare development into what it described as hastily conceived and politically motivated projects ahead of the 2027 elections.
The campaign organization, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said the facility, estimated at about N85 billion, represented a significant financial obligation for the state, with repayment expected to commence under the next administration.
It urged the governor to ensure that the loan was deployed strictly to rehabilitate and upgrade the state’s healthcare infrastructure rather than being used for projects allegedly designed to advance his political ambitions.
The organization claimed that it had learnt of the constitution of a committee by the governor to determine how the funds would be rapidly expended on projects “four months to the general election and eight months to the end” of his administration.
It also recalled that the Oyo State House of Assembly approved a request by the governor in June to raise a N200 billion bond to refinance the state’s existing debt.
According to the group, the timing of the loan and bond decisions had raised questions about the transparency and sustainability of the administration’s financial commitments.
It further argued that increased monthly allocations to the state and its 33 local government councils following the removal of fuel subsidy should provide greater fiscal capacity to fund development without unnecessary additional borrowing.
While expressing support for genuine initiatives aimed at improving healthcare delivery, the organization demanded full disclosure of the loan’s terms, disbursement schedule, contractors, procurement processes, implementation timelines and beneficiary hospitals.
It said residents deserved to know how the funds would be spent, warning against inflated contracts, hurried procurements, questionable consultancy fees and projects allegedly disguised to serve political purposes.
The campaign organization also called on the Oyo State House of Assembly, civil society groups, professional healthcare bodies and the media to closely monitor the utilization of the facility.
It said the state needed functional hospitals, adequately trained medical personnel, essential medicines and modern medical equipment rather than cosmetic renovations or abandoned projects.
The organization pledged to continue scrutinizing the deployment of state resources and hold the Makinde administration accountable for what it described as questionable expenditures.
