President Bola Tinubu has urged state governors to prioritise projects that directly improve the lives of citizens, advising them to stop constructing flyovers in areas without significant traffic congestion.
The President made the remarks on Thursday while receiving traditional rulers from Oyo State, led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at the State House in Abuja.
Addressing the monarch, Tinubu noted that state governments now receive significantly higher financial allocations than they did when both of them served as governors.
Tinubu served as Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, while Ladoja was Governor of Oyo State from 2003 to 2007.
According to the President, increased allocations have improved the financial capacity of states, reducing the need for borrowing to meet salary obligations.
“You have governed before as a governor. You need to help us communicate to these governors.
“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 flyovers where there is no significant traffic; build roads and arterial road networks to enhance the quality of life and improve access for security agencies to reach those areas,” the President said.
Tinubu stressed that investments in road infrastructure and transport networks would improve accessibility, strengthen security operations and deliver greater benefits to residents than constructing unnecessary flyovers.