Alli group questions Oyo’s N85bn healthcare loan

By Adejayan Gbenga

The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has called for greater transparency in the utilisation of the €55 million, approximately N85 billion, French government concessional loan secured by the Oyo State Government for healthcare development.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the organisation said the facility should be used strictly to improve healthcare infrastructure and services across the state, stressing that residents deserve to know how the funds would be deployed.

It urged the government to publish details of the loan agreement, including its terms and repayment schedule, proposed projects, beneficiary hospitals, contractors, procurement processes and implementation timelines.

The organisation also expressed concern over reports that a committee had been constituted to determine how the funds would be deployed, particularly as the 2027 general elections approach and the tenure of the current administration draws to a close.

It further questioned the state’s decision to undertake additional borrowing, recalling that the Oyo State House of Assembly approved Governor Seyi Makinde’s N200 billion bond request in June to refinance the state’s debt. The group said public borrowing should be based on long-term development priorities and should not impose unnecessary financial burdens on residents or future administrations.

While expressing support for genuine efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery, the organisation warned against hurried procurement, inflated contracts, questionable consultancy arrangements and projects that would provide little sustainable benefit to residents.

It therefore urged the Oyo State House of Assembly, civil society organisations, professional healthcare bodies and the media to monitor the implementation of projects financed by the loan. It said priority should be given to functional hospitals, modern medical equipment, essential medicines, improved healthcare infrastructure, and the training and welfare of medical personnel rather than cosmetic projects.

The organisation maintained that every loan contracted in the name of Oyo State must deliver measurable value. It urged the Makinde administration to ensure that the N85 billion facility results in lasting improvements to healthcare delivery and said it would continue to monitor the use of public funds and demand accountability as the 2027 elections approach.