Kayode Fayemi’s N2.5bn Majestic State House

For almost a year, there were speculations about how much former Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State spent on constructing a bogus Government House for the state. Well, the exact figure is now out, courtesy of Fayemi himself. He was so proud to tell the whole nation during his ministerial screening that the project gulped N2.5 billion of Ekiti taxpayers’ money. He even referred to Akwa Ibom State where he said he saw a magnificent Government House and decided to replicate same in Ekiti State. Haba, how can Ekiti State that was getting an average of N3 billion monthly act like Akwa Ibom that was getting about N11 billion monthly then? I am shocked that Fayemi is proud of this bogus, elitist and absolutely unnecessary project considering the level of poverty, hunger, disease and unemployment in the state. He should tell us how this project has helped to reduce the level of poverty, hunger, disease and unemployment in the state. He should tell us how this Government House project has helped to improve dilapidated education and health facilities in the state during his tenure.

This huge amount could have been used to improve the standard of health or education facilities in all the local government areas. The ill-equipped Oba Rufus Adejugbe General Hospital in Ado-Ekiti could have been given some millions of Naira from these wasted billions. Fayemi clearly ran an elitist government; one that was far away from the masses of the state. A government that concentrated on grandeur projects for the convenience of the governor and his cronies. I believe strongly that Fayemi has no business in Buhari’s cabinet going by the qualities the president said he was looking for.

 Yemi Adebowale, THISDAY