The Kwara State Government has come under fire for its decision to spend ₦6.5 billion on the renovation of Kwara Hotels in just three months. Critics argue that this expenditure is a severe misplacement of priorities, especially given the state’s pressing needs in healthcare and infrastructure.
According to the state’s budget performance document, the total budget for the hotel renovation project is ₦8.5 billion. Shockingly, 76% of the funds have already been utilized, raising eyebrows among citizens and political opponents alike.
The opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called for an immediate halt to the project. They have raised concerns over the government’s intentions and are demanding greater transparency regarding the spending of public funds.
In a recent statement, a PDP spokesperson said, “Spending such a colossal amount on a hotel renovation when our hospitals are in dire need of support is a clear misplacement of priorities. This government must be held accountable.”
The criticism is underscored by stark comparisons to spending in other sectors. For example, while ₦6.5 billion has been allocated to the hotel renovation, the entire capital expenditure for the Kwara State Ministry of Health stood at only ₦5.4 billion for the first six months of 2024.
In December 2023, the controversy surrounding the hotel renovations escalated when Hon. Salahudeen Lukman, a chairmanship candidate in the Offa Local Government Area, accused the government of fraudulent practices. He revealed that the government approved a staggering budget of ₦71.2 million per room for the renovations.
“That amount is simply outrageous,” Lukman stated. “How can a government justify spending so much on a hotel when essential services are crying for attention? This has all the hallmarks of corruption.”
The renovation of Kwara Hotels has not only drawn public ire but has also created political turmoil within the state. Recently, the demolition of Crystal Mall, owned by a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Mashood Mustapha, has led to significant political fallout.
Mustapha’s brother, Bar. Akeem Usman Mustapha (SAN), resigned from his position as the Chairman of the State Education Trust Fund, citing disagreements with Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. Sources indicate that this political rift may be connected to the controversial renovation project and the demolition of the mall.
Kwara residents have expressed frustration over the government’s priorities. Many believe that the funds earmarked for the hotel renovation could have been better spent on essential services such as healthcare and water supply.
The figures tell a troubling story. While ₦6.5 billion has gone towards renovating Kwara Hotels in just three months, the Ministry of Water Resources received a mere ₦102.1 million for capital expenditure in the first six months of the year. Furthermore, the Ministry of Tertiary Education only managed to secure ₦1.538 billion during the same period.
To put this into perspective, the total capital expenditure for the state’s Works Ministry was ₦16.9 billion in six months, making the hotel renovation costs 38.4% of this total.
