President Bola Tinubu has told state governors to “stop building flyovers where there is no numeric traffic” and do more to improve the quality of life of citizens.
He made the remark in Abuja on Thursday when he received traditional rulers from Oyo state led by Oba Rashidi Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, at the State House.
While speaking directly to Ladoja, Tinubu said the financial allocations of states had increased more than four times compared to when the monarch and the president served as state governors.
Tinubu was governor of Lagos from 1999 to 2007, while Ladoja served as governor of Oyo from 2003 to 2007.
The president said owing to the increased financial allocations, governors are no longer borrowing money to pay salaries.
“You have governed before as a governor. You need to help us communicate to these governors,” Tinubu said.
“Today, the economy of operation is high. But the money that I’m pushing to the states, if you had had it during your own time or during my time, it would have been different.
“They are taking four to five times their money. Nobody is borrowing money to pay salaries now. Pensioners are receiving their pay.
“They should do more instead of building flying over where there is no numeric traffic; build roads and artery networks to really enhance the quality of life and the accessibility of the security agencies to penetrate those areas.”
The president said his administration is taking steps to improve security at the local level through the establishment of state police.
He called on traditional rulers to play a greater role in tackling insecurity, noting that the government is enhancing the capacity of forest guards to combat criminal activities.
