Lawmakers Seek Governor Makinde’s Attention Over Dilapidated Local Government Secretariats

Members of the Oyo State House of Assembly have raised urgent concerns about the deteriorating condition of secretariat buildings in the state’s 33 local government areas. They say the buildings, many of which serve as hubs for administration and public service delivery, are in serious disrepair—posing risks to staff, hampering operations, and undermining grassroots governance.

During a recent plenary session, a motion was presented noting that several council secretariats exhibit wide-ranging defects: leaking roofs, broken windows, malfunctioning plumbing, unsafe electrical wiring, overflowing refuse areas, and crumbling facades. The lawmakers emphasised that such conditions reflect a deeper neglect of the third tier of government and impede the ability of local councils to serve citizens effectively.

One member argued that the secretariats, intended to symbolise government presence and administrative order at the local level, had instead “become monuments of decay and demoralisation.” He warned that, unless remedial action is taken swiftly, the state risks losing public confidence and seeing further erosion of service delivery outcomes.

The Assembly urged Governor Seyi Makinde and relevant state ministries to launch a coordinated rehabilitation programme—covering structural repair, sanitation upgrades, new furniture and ICT infrastructure—to restore the secretariats to functional capacity. They also called for transparent budgetary allocations specifically earmarked for local-government infrastructure as well as regular inspection and performance evaluation mechanisms.

In responding to the motion, the Speaker of the House acknowledged the gravity of the situation and assured the assembly that the executive will take note of the concerns. He stressed that revitalising local-government secretariats is not merely an architectural fix, but a foundational step towards reinforcing governance at the grassroots, improving morale of local government workers, and ensuring councils are adequately equipped to fulfil their mandates.

The lawmakers resolved to monitor progress and requested a status report from the state executive within a defined timeframe. They also committed to holding quarterly oversight visits to randomly selected local councils to assess conditions, track rehabilitation, and hold responsible parties accountable.