Oyo government spends N193m on accommodation, feeding and others in 8 weeks over Ibadan explosion

The Oyo State Government has spent nothing less than N193 million on accommodation, feeding, and others for the victims of the Bodija explosion for the past eight weeks.

The State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr Dotun Oyelade, made this known in a statement on Monday following reports that it had kicked out and abandoned the victims of the Bodija explosion.

Recall that five people were confirmed dead, 55 houses were damaged and 78 persons sustained injuries in the explosion that rocked Adeyi Avenue, Old Bodija, Ibadan, in the Ibadan North Local Government Area of the state, on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.

A report on Monday claimed the victims of the incident being accommodated by the state government in a hotel in the city lamented alleged abandonment by the government.

However, reacting to the allegation, Oyelade stated that the government had so far spent nothing less than N193 million on accommodation, feeding, and other bills of the victims, saying 38 victims were still being housed in seven hotels in highbrow areas.

He said, “The government has debunked the insinuation that it has abandoned the welfare of victims of the Bodija explosion in Ibadan. The rumour is unfair and unnecessary. Ever since the January 16 explosion, the government has been spending between N15m and N20m weekly on accommodation and feeding for the victims in the past eight weeks.

“As we speak, the government has spent over N160m on accommodation and feeding alone for the victims who were immediately accommodated at the hotels and 38 of them still residing in the various hotels. In the same vein, the government has picked up a medical bill of over N17m while those still in hospitals are being actively catered for.”

Oyelade also said that N2m is spent weekly, amounting to N16m in eight weeks, for security operatives to protect the property left behind by the victims.

On the rumour that some of the victims were ejected from their hotels, the commissioner said nothing could be farther from the truth.

“One of the hotels at Idi-Ape informed their occupants that they would like to fumigate their premises and the government took it upon itself to immediately arrange transportation for the explosion victims to be accommodated in another hotel at Jericho together with members of their families.

“The government does not think making an issue of fumigating a facility is the correct thing to do because such exercise is routine and the prerogative of the hotel owners.

“On the accusation that victims’ meals have been reduced to one, the government sees this as equally spurious because many hotels provide complimentary breakfast, and most of our wards go out in the daytime, hence, the government’s decision to provide dinner.”

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