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 the IBB Specialist Hospital from N11.8 billion to N18.2 billion, despite the project remaining 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 called for accountability over the expenditure.
Addressing journalists, the former commissioner questioned why the project’s cost had reportedly increased by N6.4 billion without its completion, urging the relevant authorities to scrutinise the funds committed to the remodelling exercise.
He also questioned the utilisation of an alleged N1.5 trillion loan obtained by the state government, asking what had happened to N1 trillion after Governor Bago reportedly indicated that N500 billion was required for various road projects.
“The question now is, where is the N1 trillion naira? What happened to the money?” Vatsa asked.
The former commissioner alleged that several road projects across Niger State had been abandoned despite increased federal allocations and substantial borrowing by the administration.
He warned that the state’s growing debt burden could create financial difficulties for future generations, arguing that the government had failed to translate the resources at its disposal into completed infrastructure projects.
Vatsa further 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 administration’s agricultural revolution narrative as propaganda.
According to him, the alleged failure of the programme raises concerns about the state’s capacity to improve food production and contribute meaningfully to efforts to address food insecurity.
Vatsa disclosed that his previous attempts to draw the attention of the APC-led government to governance concerns through press statements had proved unsuccessful.
He added that he was labelled an opposition figure within the party whenever he raised questions about the administration’s policies and performance.
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 the administration was seeking the support of politicians previously accused by the APC of contributing to the country’s problems.
Vatsa described the state government’s New Niger slogan as inconsistent with the situation on the ground, insisting that residents deserved measurable results from public expenditure.
He maintained that the government should be held accountable for its spending and demonstrate how the resources obtained through public allocations and borrowing had translated into tangible development for the people of Niger State.