Former Governor and Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel praised President Bola Tinubu for a sharp rise in federal allocations to Ogun State following the removal of the fuel subsidy. Daniel said the state now receives almost four times the amount it previously drew from the Federation Account, a “major financial boost” for state governments.
Speaking at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu/Otunba Gbenga Daniel Mid‑Term Assessment and Empowerment Tour in Ijebu‑Ode, Daniel noted that Ogun’s revenue share has risen to place it among the highest‑receiving states in the country. “We need to thank President Tinubu for increasing the amount of federal allocation to the states by four times,” he said. “In our eight years in office we only had access to about N330 billion; today the state operates a budget of over N1.6 trillion.”
Despite the larger cash flow, Daniel warned that many communities in Ijebu‑land have yet to see the infrastructural improvements that such resources could fund. He called for intensified attention to projects in health, education and economic development across Ogun East, stressing that effective delivery depends on better coordination between federal and state agencies.
Daniel cited ongoing federal projects in the region, including the proposed Federal Medical Centre in Ijebu Ode and the naval base under construction in Abigi, as examples of what could be accelerated through stronger collaboration. He also revisited the controversy over the Dangote Refinery, which was originally mooted for Ogun Waterside before being sited in Lagos State, describing the relocation as a missed economic opportunity for Ijebu land.
Looking ahead, the former governor expressed confidence in his political support base in Ogun East as the nation prepares for future elections, but he emphasized that the immediate priority remains translating the increased allocations into tangible benefits for the people of Ogun State.
The surge in federal allocations underscores a broader fiscal shift after the subsidy removal, offering states like Ogun a larger share of national revenue. How quickly and effectively the additional funds are deployed will determine whether the promised boost translates into measurable improvements in infrastructure, health, education and economic growth for the region.
