– Ask government to use N807M OSOPADEC Money approved for wooden walkways and jettys to restore electricity to Ondo South

– Accused government of mocking the intelligence of Ilaje people. 

– Says Investment in meagre resources in wooden walkways, is a gross misplacement of priority 

-Says government has reduced the yearnings and aspirations of the people to a mere wooden walk way.

A non governmental organisation (NGO), Ilaje Advancement Forum (IAF) has taken a swipe on the administration of governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for approving N807M OSOPADEC money for the rehabilitation of what they called mere meagre wooden walkways for Ilaje and Ese Odo local governments at a time they are yearning for the restoration of electricity after 10 years in blackouts.

In a press release made available for our correspondent by Ehinmowo Tokunbo, the group condemned the gesture as being out of place, describing it as a mockery to the intelligence of Ilaje people, when “in a 21st century, other progressive minded states are investing on core critical infrastructures like Schools, Portable Water, Good Roads, Hospitals, Electricity and Human Capital Development”, but said that the government of Akeredolu was approving  such money for rehabilitation of mere wooden walkways.

The group asked the government to divert the fund to the restoration of electricity to affected councils in Ondo south, as they claim that the only infrastructure that can provide enabling environment for any form of investment to thrive is electricity.

The full statement read:

“The attention of Ilaje Advancement Forum (IAF) has been drawn to the recent approval of 807 million naira for rehabilitation of wooden walk ways and jettys in both Ilaje and Ese-odo Local Government.

IAF condemns this gesture in a 21st century Nigeria, where other progressive minded states are investing on core critical infrastructures like Schools, Portable Water, Good Roads, Hospitals, Electricity and Human Capital Development.

The 87 million naira allocated for renovation of OSOPADEC gate should be immediately used to pay off BEDC for the swift renovation and Restoration of Electricity back to  the four local governments put in darkness by BEDC after several years of Blackout.

We regard the decision by ODSG to invest its meagre resources in wooden walkways, as a gross misplacement of priority and a complete waste of time.

With the recent pronouncement, ODSG have casted upon itself a task of proving to the good people of ilaje and ese odo, whether it has not lost touch with realities on ground.

We feel debased, violated, cynical and more hopeless each time successive ondo state government reduces the yearnings and aspirations of our people to a mere wooden walk way.

This calculated mockery on the collective intelligence of Ilaje people can only be regarded as Daylight Rape. The Ondo State Government should henceforth stop this inhumane treatment on Ilaje Region whom 70% percent of the total state revenue is derived from.

At a time we are gasping for Drinkable Water, Employment, Good access Roads, Schools befitting for human beings, Highly skilled Teachers, Electricity and protection of our coastline from perennial sea attacks.

The Government of Arákùnrin Rotimi Akeredolu should as a matter of urgency redeploy this funds to effectively address the immediate issues raised in the aforementioned paragraphs. As this is the only infrastructure that can provide enabling environment for any form of investment to thrive.

In a similar development, the group has also sent a protest letter to governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu led government on what they called: “marginalisation and injustice against Ilaje nation.

The letter was signed by Abogun Oluwarotimi, (chairman), Atilade Fadeshola (Secretary) and Ojukotimi Olawale (PRO).

In the letter, the group expressed their grievances and disatisfaction against how the Ilaje nation has been systematically marginalised and cheated according to the content of the letter made available to Star news.