A group, Oke Ogun Development Consultative Forum (ODCF) has called on Governor Seyi Makinde to have a rethink on his plan to spend N7.6billion Central Bank of Nigeria loan on developmental projects that will benefit citizens from only one senatorial district in the state.
The group in a statement signed by the President, Dr. Olusegun Ajuwon, and the Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Comrade Jare Ajayi also criticized the decision of the state government to spend about N8billion on the expansion of Iwo road interchange in Ibadan, the state capital, stating that there are other areas of the state, particularly roads leading to Oke Ogun areas that deserve equal, if not better attention of the government.
It said: “In terms of strategic importance, Moniya-Iseyin road should come first, especially since Iwo/Ife interchange in Ibadan is partly a federal road which has part of it that belongs to the federal government.
The umbrella body for Oke Ogun people advised that the loan should not be spent only on the two proposed farm settlements located in Ido and Eruwa alone, because these settlements are in the same Oyo South Senatorial District.
The body described as unacceptable the Oyo State Government’s view that proceeds from the projects in these two settlements would later be spent on the other farm settlements in the State, arguing that the amount involved was huge enough to be spent on all the seven identified settlements in the state.
It added that justice, equity and fairness in resource distribution demands that all settlements in the state should benefit from proposed government intervention.
The people claimed that fair play dictates that such a loan should not be spent in just one district at the expense of other two.
They reminded Governor Makinde of his confirmation that Oke Ogun as the food basket of the state and the commitment that his government would do everything possible to ensure that agricultural produce from that region feed the state.
The body said, “Oke ogun is well known for development in agriculture, a fact acknowledged by even the World Bank which created in the region the Oyo North Agricultural Programme (ONADEP) in Saki, some decades ago.”
Alluding to Governor Makinde’s assurances during his electoral campaigns that he would improve the agricultural potential of Oke Ogun area, they said their expectation was that Oke Ogun should be among the first batch of beneficiaries of such intervention.
ODCF concluded that the state governor should consider the inclusion of farm settlements in the three senatorial districts including Oke ogun, Fashola-Oyo, and Ogbomoso in disbursement of the CBN loan.
ODCF appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde-led government “to reconsider its decision in line with the arguments articulated by the body
