The Digest:
The Oyo State Government has revealed that the N30 billion released by the Federal Government as part of a N50 billion intervention fund for the 2024 Bodija explosion remains untouched in a state bank account, nearly two years after the tragedy. Officials cite the withholding of the remaining N20 billion balance, without explanation, as the reason for not accessing the funds.
Key Points:
- The state government confirmed that the N30 billion is held in an infrastructure support account with First Bank.
- The Federal Government approved N50 billion in total but has only released N30 billion, withholding N20 billion.
- Oyo State has spent N24.6 billion of its own funds on disaster response, including infrastructure and victim compensation.
- Governor Seyi Makinde initially requested N100 billion for reconstruction and recovery efforts.
- The state described recent federal statements about the funds as a "disgraceful drama," justifying its cautious "wait and see" approach.
- Officials noted that Oyo State received one of the lowest allocations from a N915.5 billion federal intervention pool, despite the severity of the disaster.
- The government emphasized transparency, inviting the public to verify the account status, and vowed to continue engaging openly on the matter
Sources: Nigerian Tribune, Oyo State Government Statement
