Dry Port: Ibadan Residents Send SOS To Makinde, Buhari Over Inadequate Compensation, Dude Cheques
By Admin
Some aggrieved residents of over 30 communities in Akinyele local government area of Ibadan metropolis, the Capital City of Oyo state have on Wednesday sent save our souls messages to the state Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde and President Muhammadu Buhari over forceful acquisition of their ancestral lands and properties for Dry Port Project without adequate compensation.
Naijanewshub.com.ng reports that the affected communities according to the victims who protested over dude cheques and inadequate commensurate compensation of their properties in Ibadan called on government to stay true to their previous agreements by properly resettling them and ensuring they don’t feel the impact of citing and construction of a Dry Port in the Akinyele local government area.
The affected victims who are mostly of Orisumbare area in Akinyele local government Ibadan, are predominantly farmers, and they are at the verge of loosing their ancestral agrarian lands closing to over 310 acres without adequate compensation from the government.
Speaking on behalf of others, Mr. Balogun Oluwaseyi, Akorede Sikiru, Magreth Akerele, Tunji Adepoju, Monrufat Sunmonu told journalists that the affected communities cut across about 31 villages.
They condemned the act of taking their lands and properties for the Dry Port project without adequate commensurate compensation from the government.
Mr. Balogun Oluwaseyi said, “government at all levels are yet to fulfill their promises, government at all levels have failed to stay through with our previous agreements, a move which had sent cold shivers down the spine of some of us.”
“Some of us have been called by the state government through the ministry of lands for what they called commensurate payment, and we were given bounced cheques, the money given to us compared to our properties are insulting and demeaning.”
“How can they be given us this kind of money, N35,000 for someone that has four hectres of farmland, I was given a bounced cheque of N2m for both housing and landed properties worth over N30m.”
“The money they are paying us is not up to the amount they suppose to give us, someone with five hectares of land was giving thirty five thousand naira, someone with six bed rooms bungalow on three plots of land was giving a bounced cheque of two millions naira, this is absurd, we all know how much building materials cost in today market.They also promised us resettlement, up till now nothing was done.” He said.
Another resident, Monrufat Sunmonu talked about the security hazard the development has brought to the affected communities said, “We are appealing to Oyo State government to come to our aid, security here has been so bad, criminal elements have turned the uncompleted building to their hideouts, armed robbers has been coming to attack us inside our house. I’m yet to collect my own money and those that have collected cheques, are yet to receive the payment as they have been complaining bitterly over bounced cheques issued by the state government.
As the clock continues to click, residents here hope that government at all levels would see reason by putting machinery in place towards ensuring they do not loss their priced heritage.
Some of the affected communities are, Alausa, Orisunmibare, Oguntilewa, Jooye, Lapite, Ishabi, Ketepe, Akinbode, Oloje, Adamaro, Sonle, Apata, Dedun, Ojedeji, villages all in Akinyele local government area of Oyo state.
As at the time of filling this report, all efforts made to hear from the state commissioner of lands proved abortive.