OLD PIPELINE EVACUATION: IRUN-AKOKO COMMUNITY LEADER OLUSEGUN ADU-PETERS URGES DUE PROCESS
…Calls For Committee Of Technocrats To Ensure The Affected Are Compensated
…Charges Contractors On Replacement Of Pipeline With Modern Facilities To Justify Government’s Intention
Following the evacuation of unserviceable items from the Irun-Akoko booster station and other areas in the northern part of Ondo State, a community leader and civil rights activist, Barrister Olusegun Adu-Peters has called for the constitution of an ad-hoc committee to ensure that due process is followed.
The state government has reportedly embarked on the evacuation as part of efforts to restore water provision and proper reticulation across the affected communities.
The state Water Corporation had earlier been saddled with the responsibility of evacuating water pipes and other unserviceable equipment from the Corporation’s office in Ikare-Akoko, covering Irun, Ogbagi, Ese, Oke-Agbe, Oyin, Afo, Ifon, Imoru and others.
Now that the evacuation of the items has commenced in Irun-Akoko, a community leader, Barrister Olusegun Adu-Peters has called for the constitution of a committee of technocrats to ensure that due process is followed.
This, according to him is to facilitate the compensation of those to be affected by the evacuation as well as monitoring the projects towards ensuring that replacement of the pipes and equipment are carried out to the letter.
Speaking with newsmen in Akure the state capital, Barrister Adu-Peters said “my counsel for the stakeholders in Akoko is to set up an ad-hoc committee made up of technocrats. Incidentally Chief Paul Oguntimehin, the Asiwaju of Irun-Akoko chairmaned Ondo State Water Corporations during the administration of late Chief Adebayo Adebayo Adefarati, Chief Dare Adebiyi, a retired permanent secretary who also chairmaned the Ondo State Civil Service Commission, Chief Owolabi Esan, former Akoko North West Local Government Chairman and some other notable and competent stakeholders from the various towns and villages in Akoko”.
The legal practitioner suggested that the committee is to ensure ‘inter alia’ that no one affected by the exercise is left out of the compensation.
He said “plans should be put in place for replacement of the pipelines to justify the mission of the state government towards providing potable and adequate water supply to Irun-Akoko and to all the towns and villages in Akoko land”.
The community leader commended the proactive steps taken by the traditional ruler of the ancient town,
the Onirun of Irun-Akoko, Oba Bayode Agboola, the Akulojuorun 11.
“I wish to commend the spontaneous reaction of Irun sons and daughters and the people in Akoko especially where the old pipeline was laid which we classify as a matter of urgent public attention”.
“I wish nobody would view my disposition as politicisation or my opinion of government policy as belligerent because water is life that is very important to everybody regardless of your political affiliation”.
“The role of our ever-working and proactive traditional ruler, His Royal Imperial Majesty, Oba Bayode Agboola, the Akulojuorun 11, the Onirun of Irun is highly commendable for running an open administration through proper consultations by carrying the people along on government policy and directive who by divine providence is the chairman of traditional rulers in Akoko North West Local Government Area.”
