The Kwara State government has been embroiled in a controversy surrounding the Ilorin Visual Arts Centre, with allegations of mismanagement of funds and lack of transparency. According to an investigation by The Informant247, the government has spent a staggering N1.852 billion on the project, which was initially approved for N755 million in 2020.
The project, which was unveiled in 2021, was expected to be completed within 50 weeks. However, nearly three years later, the facility remains unopened and under lock and key. The government has continued to pour hundreds of millions of naira into the project annually, despite the lack of progress.
The investigation revealed that the government’s claim of revising the project cost due to economic factors is inconsistent with the figures in the budget. Additionally, the government’s statement that the project was awarded before the COVID-19 pandemic was contradicted by evidence showing that the project was approved after the pandemic outbreak.
Civil society organizations have expressed concerns about the project’s status, describing it as an “elephant project” that has yet to deliver significant impact for the people of the state. The government’s reaction to the investigation has been criticized for lacking transparency and accountability.
The Ilorin Visual Arts Centre was intended to be a state-of-the-art facility that would provide a hub for artistic expression and cultural exchange. However, the controversy surrounding the project has raised questions about the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in its management of public funds.
