The Ogeloyinbo of Aiyetoro Community and Spiritual Majesty of Holy Apostles’ Church, Aiyetoro Headquarters W/W, in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Micah Olaseni Ajijo, has called on both Federal and Ondo State governments, all meaningful Nigerians as a matter of urgency to come to their rescue over the incessant sea incursion in the area.
Oba Ajijo, while speaking with our correspondent, said the community needs emergency response from the government, it could be total evacuation in order to put inplace surge protection.
He said; “half of Ayietoro is in the sea already, many people have become homeless.
“People’s livelihood will be more threatened during this raining season, I’m appealing to the government to do something urgent to safe our people.
He added that “in 2004,that the Niger delta Development Commission (NDDC) recognized the challenges of coastal erosion due to the activities of Oil exploration in the area, and decided to protect our surge, they awarded the contract to protect Aiyetoro in particular, to my utmost surprised nothing was done.
“Also in 2009, NDDC, awarded the contract nothing to show for it till date. This is 2021, seventeen years now that the problem has been marked by the government as to deal with it. Our people are frustrating. Half of the houses have deformed an Oil producing community for that matter. It high time the Oil companies show their social responsibility to our people,” the Monarch said.
No doubt , we will continue to partner with the Governments at all levels because nothing will can do , It is not that the government is not sincere but some functionaries take things with levity.
In the same vein, the Secretary General of Aiyetoro, Mr. Sola Orisamoluwa, averred that the project has been awarded up to two times but nothing was done about it.
He said “It’s a pity that an Oil producing community may be in a situation like this. However, nothing we can do than to appeal to the federal government and the state to come to our aid. It has been a long time pleading and our people are becoming more of the victim of sea surge”.
Orisamoluwa, therefore, pleaded with the governments for urgent intervention.
Meanwhile, residents of Aiyetoro, community in Ilaje local government staged a peaceful protest on Monday calling on the Federal and the State governments to come to their aid as the ocean surge escalating every day in the area.
According to their agitations, “many people have been rendered homeless and many have become refugees in their own community. We have nowhere to go, we are appealing to the Federal Government, state government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to our aid,”
The protesters also called their representative, Mr. Kolade Akinjo, to stop playing dumb in this instance. “We expect that he should be up and doing beyond purchasing JAMB form which is the job of a counselor. He should rise up to his responsibilities and hold contractors into account”.
Exclusive Reporters 