Oyo to rehabilitate Government House with ₦63bn, install ILS system at Airport

By Adejayan Gbenga –

The Oyo State Executive Council has approved the sum of ₦63.48 billion for the comprehensive rehabilitation of structures within the Government House.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, described the current state of the Government House as “embarrassing.” He noted that for the past six years, both the Governor and his deputy have been residing in their personal homes rather than the official residences.

He added that the banquet hall within the Government House will be completed ahead of the 50th anniversary of Oyo State next year, as part of Governor Seyi Makinde’s legacy projects for the incoming administration.

The Council also approved ₦131.75 million for the employment of professional gardeners to maintain green areas and other designated sections of the Government House.

In a related development, the state government has taken steps to upgrade the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport to international standard with the installation of an Instrument Landing System (ILS).

Approval was granted by the Executive Council for the procurement and installation of the ILS at a cost of ₦14.3 billion.

According to the Commissioner, the ILS technology is crucial for enabling aircraft to land safely, especially in adverse weather conditions.

He noted that a previous ILS installed by the Federal Government was damaged, prompting the state to take responsibility for installing a replacement within six months.