Vatsa faults Bago over N18.2bn IBB hospital project, questions N1.5tn loan
Former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Jonathan Tsadó Vatsa, has criticised Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago's administration over the alleged increase in the cost of remodelling IBB Specialist Hospital from N11.8 billion to N18.2 billion, saying the project remains incomplete.
Vatsa, a former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who has since left the party, described the hospital project as one of the most questionable undertakings of the administration and demanded accountability for the expenditure.
Addressing journalists, he questioned why the project's cost had reportedly risen by N6.4 billion without its completion, calling for scrutiny of the funds committed to the remodelling exercise.
The former commissioner also questioned the utilisation of an alleged N1.5 trillion loan obtained by the state government, asking what happened to N1 trillion after the governor reportedly indicated that N500 billion was needed for various road projects.
"The question now is, where is the N1 trillion naira? What happened to the money?" Vatsa asked.
He alleged that several road projects across the state had been abandoned despite increased federal allocations and substantial borrowing by the administration.
Vatsa further warned that the state's growing debt burden could impose financial difficulties on future generations, arguing that the government had failed to translate the resources at its disposal into completed infrastructure.
He claimed that the Bago administration had received substantial allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, following the removal of fuel subsidies but had little to show for the funds in terms of completed projects.
The former APC chieftain also faulted the state government's agricultural initiatives, particularly the Niger Food programme, which was introduced to improve food security and agricultural production.
He alleged that no grain had been harvested under the programme in the last three and a half years, describing the government's agricultural revolution narrative as propaganda.
Vatsa said the alleged failure of the programme raised concerns about the state's capacity to improve food production and support efforts to address food insecurity.
He disclosed that his previous attempts to draw the attention of the APC-led government to governance concerns through press statements had proved unsuccessful, adding that he had been labelled an opposition figure within the party.
His criticism comes after his departure from the APC, of which he described himself as a pioneer member.
At the national level, Vatsa also accused the APC of failing to address Nigeria's governance challenges since it assumed power in 2015.
He further criticised the Niger State Government's political direction ahead of the 2027 general elections, alleging that it was seeking the support of politicians previously accused by the APC of contributing to the country's problems.
Vatsa described the government's New Niger slogan as inconsistent with the situation on the ground, insisting that residents deserved measurable results from public expenditure.
Vatsa faults Bago over N18.2bn IBB hospital project, questions N1.5tn loan