“GOOGLE IT”: ELEVATOR CLAIM RAISES FRESH QUESTIONS OVER KWARA HOTEL COST
A fresh controversy has emerged over the cost of the renovated Kwara Hotel following a claim by the Kwara State Governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Abdulateef, that a single elevator could cost between ₦600 million and ₦1 billion. The Special Adviser made the claim during a radio programme while defending the cost of the project and reportedly challenged members of the public to conduct their own Google search and prove him wrong. So, we did. And what the search turned up raises serious questions. A review of online listings from elevator manufacturers and suppliers shows commercial elevator systems, including premium-quality options, being advertised in the region of ₦35million to ₦79million, depending on specifications, capacity, installation requirements and other associated costs. That is a staggering difference from the ₦600 million to ₦1 billion figure quoted on air. The question therefore becomes unavoidable: Where did the ₦600 million to ₦1 billion figure come fro...