The project has a staggering N8.5 billion budget in total, of which 76% has already been used.

According to the state’s budget performance sheet, the government invested a substantial N6.5 billion on the renovation of Kwara Hotels in the first quarter of the year, however the project has been marred by controversy.

The project has a staggering N8.5 billion budget in total, of which 76% has already been used.

The project’s cost is criticised as being exorbitant, and others suggest that this is a case of priorities being misplaced amid economic difficulties. The Peoples Democratic Party, the opposition party, has demanded transparency and questioned the government’s motivations in order to put an end to the project.

the All Progressives Congress leader and Wakilin of Ilorin, Hon. Mashood Mustapha, lost control of Crystal Mall, which resulted in Bar. Akeem Usman Mustapha (SAN) resigning from Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s government.

Mashood Mustapha’s brother is Usman Akeem Mustapha. Prior to his resignation, he served as the State Education Trust Fund Chairman.

The demolition operation took place in the midst of a political spat between Governor Abdulrazaq and Mustapha.

This dispute was also connected to a contract that did not work out for Kwara Hotels renovations.

The refurbishment of the hotel was the subject of controversy in December 2023 after the government was accused of fraud in a letter written by Hon. Salahudeen Lukman, a candidate for chairmanship in the Offa Local Government Area.

The PDP leader denounced corruption, pointing out that the government granted a N71.2 million budget per room for hotel renovations.

DAILYPULSE’ checks reveal that although the state spent N6.5 billion in three months to renovate the hotel, in the first half of the 2024 fiscal year, the state’s capital expenditures for tertiary education totalled N1.538 billion and the healthcare ministry N5.4 billion.

The Ministry of Water Resources only spent N102.1 million on capital projects.

In just six months, the state spent N16.9 billion on its works ministry. As a result, 38.4% of the state’s capital expenditure budget for the works ministry for the first half of 2024 was allocated to the N6.5 billion renovation of the Kwara Hotel in just three months.

During the first half of the year, hospitals and health institutions were reported to have received no funding, whereas N42 million was spent on providing water facilities.