Osogbo residents, whose shops and houses were demolished along the city’s MDS, Ola-Iya and Fakunke axes, staged a peaceful protest on Monday over the state government’s failure to pay their compensation.
The protesters, in large numbers, stormed the Government House in Oke-Fia, carrying banners, appealing to the state government to pay their compensation.
Some of the inscriptions on the signs include “Gov. Oyetola, We wait long enough, Please do what is necessary, Pay us our compensation”, “Pay our compensation, Many of us are dead”,
Addressing reporters at the protest site, Funke Afolabi, the spokesman for the protesters, said their buildings were demolished in 2013 by the state government.
Ms Afolabi said the state government had promised compensation to the affected building owners, but all efforts to obtain it had been ‘aborted’.
She said that Governor Oyetola, who was then-Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s chief of staff, should understand their plight.
“We are begging the state government to listen to our voices.
“Our shops and houses were demolished by the state government for road construction and they promised us that we will be compensated.
“But from 2013 to date, we still haven’t received anything from the government.
“We are appealing to the governor to hear our cries and give us our compensation.
”For some of us, the demolished shops and houses are our source of livelihood. We are appealing to the government to help us,” she said.
In reaction, Funke Egbemode, Commissioner for Information and Civic Guidance, called on the protesters to be patient with the government.
Ms. Egbemode said that compensation was a process and not something that could happen overnight.
”The issue of compensation is a process and those who are entitled to it will get their compensation at the appropriate time.
“The government is aware of their situation and it will be resolved soon.”
In addition, Remi Omowaye, Commissioner of Works and Transport, said protesters should be patient, adding that the government would contact them once resources were available.
Mr. Omowaye said that although the last administration carried out the demolition to pave the way for the Osogbo-Ikirun-Ilaodo highway; since the government was a continuum, compensation would be paid.
(YAYA)