Aggrieved residents of over 30 communities in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, have protested alleged forceful acquisition of their land and property by the government for the dry port project without adequate compensation and the issuance of dud cheques.
They, therefore, called on the state governor, Seyi Makinde, and the Nigerian president, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to fulfil their previous agreements by properly resettling them and ensuring they don’t feel the unpleasant impact of citing and construction of the port in the area.
Speaking on behalf of others, Balogun Oluwaseyi, Akorede Sikiru, Magreth Akerele, Tunji Adepoju, and Monrufat Sunmonu said the affected communities cut across about 30 villages in the local government.
Oluwaseyi said, “Governments at all levels are yet to fulfil their promises, governments at all levels have failed to fulfil their previous agreements, a move which has sent cold shivers down the spine of some of us.”
Sunmonu said, “We are appealing to the state government to come to our aid, security here has been so bad, criminal elements have turned uncompleted buildings into their hideouts, and armed robbers have been coming to attack us inside our houses.
“I am 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.”
Shipping Position Daily however recalls that the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC); Mr Emmanuel Jime had in August last year, declare that the Oyo State Government had completed payment of compensation to all affected families over the use of 90 hectares of land at Moniya/Olorisa-Oko earmarked for the N43.2bn Ibadan inland dry port in Ibadan, Oyo State.
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Commending the Oyo State Government for the laudable effort, at a ceremony in Lagos, Mr Jime explained that the agency and other parties involved are currently tidying up the remaining knotty issues to ensure the dry port is set for operations.
According to him, “Before Honourable Rotimi Amaechi left as Minister of Transportation, he gathered all of us in one room; we the promoters and the Chinese who are the concessionaire of the Ibadan dry port, and urged us to tidy up the remaining knotty issues concerning the dry port.
“On the issue of family disputes over compensation, I am happy to inform this gathering that the Oyo State Government has completed payment of compensation to all the families involved on the land to be used for the dry port.
“What is left is for us to take the full business case to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval. That would also have been done if there was no change in the leadership of the federal ministry of transportation”.
“As you know, there is a new leadership at the federal ministry of transportation. We have met with the new minister of transportation, and have briefed him on what he needs to do to make the dry port operational. Once the minister attends to our brief, I am sure that the Ibadan dry port will take off within the shortest time available”, he had told the gathering.
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