Ondo govt rejects StatiSense report, cites gains in health, infrastructure, economy
By Julius Alabi, Akure
The Ondo State Government has dismissed a recent performance assessment attributed to an artificial intelligence data firm, StatiSense, describing the report as misleading, fundamentally weak and disconnected from the realities on the ground.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the appraisal, published by The Guardian, failed to reflect verifiable progress across key sectors of governance in the state.
Adeniyan argued that the report lacked critical depth and objectivity, accusing the firm of presenting “fantasy rather than fact” in its evaluation of public service delivery in Ondo.
He maintained that the conclusions reached by StatiSense were inconsistent with credible institutional assessments and empirical data.
The government particularly faulted the report’s portrayal of fiscal management, citing figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), which showed that Ondo State reduced its domestic debt from ₦74 billion in 2023 to ₦12 billion in 2024.
The reduction, amounting to 82.6 per cent, he said, positioned the state as one of the most fiscally disciplined sub-national entities in the country.
According to him, the debt reduction enabled the clearance of outstanding salary arrears, gratuities owed to pensioners and payments to former political office holders, adding that dismissing such achievements as insignificant to citizens’ welfare was subjective and unsubstantiated.
On healthcare, the government highlighted sweeping reforms, including improved remuneration for medical personnel, expansion of health insurance coverage and large-scale infrastructure upgrades.
Adeniyan disclosed that over 1,000 health professionals had been recruited, while Ondo became the first South-West state to implement enhanced CONMESS and CONHESS allowances.
He added that a ₦1 billion Hospital Intervention Fund had been approved to modernise facilities, alongside ongoing upgrades of major hospitals in Ikare-Akoko, Ore, Okitipupa, Irele and Igbokoda. Within two years, more than 100 health centres have reportedly been renovated.
The administration also pointed to advanced medical equipment installed at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, including MRI and CT scan machines, as well as improvements in drug supply through a pharmaceutical-grade warehouse in Akure.
Backing its claims with national data, the government said Ondo State ranked among the best-performing states in neonatal, infant and under-five mortality indicators, while recording low maternal mortality rates.
In the area of infrastructure, the state government said it had completed over 100 kilometres of roads within the last year, with an additional 90-kilometre rehabilitation programme underway across all 18 local government areas.
Major dualisation projects and new flyovers in Akure were also cited as evidence of ongoing development.
The administration further outlined progress in the education sector, including the recruitment of more than 2,000 teachers, revitalisation of the free school shuttle scheme and expansion of scholarship and bursary programmes.
It added that classrooms had been renovated and new facilities constructed, alongside increased funding for tertiary institutions.
On water supply, the government said efforts were underway to revive the long-neglected Owena Dam project, while new pipelines and rural borehole schemes were improving access to potable water across communities.
In the power sector, Adeniyan noted that initiatives such as Light-Up Akure and the Lucky Light Solar Programme were enhancing electricity access, while plans for hydropower and gas-fired plants were underway to support government facilities and businesses.
Agriculture, he said, remained a key focus, with over ₦10 billion committed to boosting food production, supporting farmers and attracting investors.
He disclosed that more than 500 youths had been trained in modern farming techniques, while 14,000 smallholder farmers were profiled under international programmes.
The state also highlighted strides in industrialisation, including renewed interest from major investors such as the Dangote Group, and plans for a deep seaport, refinery, free trade zone and fertiliser plant.
On employment, the government said over 5,000 jobs had been created through recruitment in critical sectors and skills development programmes targeting youths and women.
Security efforts, according to the statement, had been strengthened through increased recruitment into the Amotekun Corps, distribution of over 100 operational vehicles and the establishment of a Command and Control Centre to tackle crime.
Adeniyan concluded that the breadth of these interventions contradicted the StatiSense report, which he described as a “clear misrepresentation of facts” capable of undermining public confidence.
He therefore urged the public to rely on verified data and observable outcomes in assessing the performance of the Aiyedatiwa administration, insisting that the government remained committed to transparency, development and improved living standards for residents of the state.
