By Victor Ayeni
The Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has disclosed his plan to compensate residents of Akinyele Local Government Area of the state following complaints raised over lands acquired for the Dry Port and Ilutuntun Business District.
The governor made this known, according to a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Taiwo Adisa, on Tuesday, during his meeting with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria at the First Baptist Church; the league of Imams, Akinyele Local Government at the Central Mosque, and the traditional worshippers at the Isese Temple in Moniya.
Makinde said, “Ongoing projects such as the Inland Dry Port, the African Development Bank’s Agro-processing Zone, the state government-initiated Ilutuntun City as well as the multifarious infrastructure projects put in place by this administration, will make Akinyele the richest local government in the state within the next five years.
“The issue of complaints over lands acquired for the Dry Port and Ilutuntun Business District would be looked into, noting that compensation will be paid to those whose lands were acquired for the Dry Port within the next few weeks.
“The monarchs should be prepared for such land swap deals in Akinyele too. They should hold those they are in charge of, because the land is our gold here, and Akinyele Local Government is one of the major beneficiaries of the deal.”
Makinde also appealed to traditional rulers to develop internal reforms that would ensure the development of the council.
“I want to appeal that the council of Obas and Olubadan-in-Council sit together and come up with an internal reform because you know everything that is happening internally.
“Any reform that comes from you is the sustainable one. You don’t have to come and lobby me. Once you are done and the Olubadan-in-Council brings it to me, I assure you that I will sign it,” he added.
The governor further stated that everything his administration has been able to achieve under Omituntun 1.0 will be consolidated under Omituntun 2.0, and he warned residents not to allow opposition political parties whom he said have nothing to campaign with to deceive them ahead of the coming elections.
Source: The Punch