Lawmakers Urge Makinde to Fix Dilapidated Local Government Secretariats Across Oyo State

The Oyo State House of Assembly has raised serious concerns over the worsening condition of many local government secretariat buildings throughout Oyo State and is formally calling on Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene and restore these critical structures.

At a recent plenary session, legislators presented several motions highlighting the physical and operational decay of secretariat buildings. Complaints included leaking roofs, cracked walls, broken windows, damaged ceilings, poor sanitation, and outdated furniture—all of which are negatively impacting the morale of staff and the quality of service delivery to citizens.

Members noted that some secretariats date back decades and have not undergone meaningful renovations, leading to unsafe working conditions and an inability to meet modern administrative demands. One assembly member remarked, “When you ask citizens to visit their local government secretariat and the building itself appears neglected, you’re undermining their confidence in governance.”

The Assembly urged the Governor to prioritise several measures:

• A comprehensive state-wide audit of all local government secretariat buildings to determine the extent of repairs and renovations required.

• Immediate allocation of funds in the next state budget dedicated to the rehabilitation of secretariats, including structural repairs, sanitation upgrades, furniture replacement, and compliance with safety standards.

• Adoption of a maintenance framework to ensure secretariats remain functional and safe, rather than deteriorating rapidly post-repair.

• Regular progress reports submitted to the House so that tracking and accountability become part of ongoing governance oversight.

This motion signals the Assembly’s firm stance that local government administration cannot thrive on weak physical infrastructure. To them, rebuilding secretariats is not just a construction issue—it is fundamental to restoring trust between government and citizens, enabling efficient service delivery, and creating safe, dignified workplaces for public servants.