Group Urges Osun Govt. Against Endorsing Thuggery

….. Tells Adeleke To Focus More On Security, Infrastructure

A civil society organisation, The Osun Masterminds, TOM, has asked the Osun State Government to critically look into sectors of the state to move it forward.

In an August state of the State address in Osogbo on Wednesday, the organisation identified security, state of critical infrastructure, subsidy removal palliatives and pension issues as grey areas the state government needed to look into and critically assess.

Speaking on behalf of TOM, the Executive Director, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli called on the state government to critically assess security in Osun.

In his words, “We want to state unequivocally that the state can only grow in a secure atmosphere where citizens can go about their lawful businesses without fear of attacks, intimidation or death.

“We call on the State Government to double its efforts in securing the State. The State Government must also posture itself in such a way that it is not seen to be endorsing thuggery through the relationship of some key elements of government, with known antisocial elements.”

Oyedokun-Alli who regretted that his fears were being confirmed with the increasing cases of killings, particularly in towns like Ilesa, urged security agencies in the state to be up and doing in the discharge of their roles.

On the state of infrastructure in the state, Oyedokun-Alli called on the state government to liaise with relevant agencies of the Federal Government to maintain the section of the Ibadan-Gbongan-Akure highway that is within the domain of our state.

He also condemned attempts by the state government to construct flyovers at Oke-Fia and Old Garage area of Osogbo.

“A simple dualization of LAMECO – Oke-Fia – Old Garage stretch of road and signalization of that stretch, will solve whatever traffic bottlenecks there may currently exist there. More specifically, traffic lights at LAMECO, Oke-Fia and Old Garage, on a dualized road, will ease every traffic congestion currently being experienced on the road.

“We advise that the government redirects the funds it will expend on constructing flyovers, to widening major roads in towns whose major roads are currently too narrow for the kind of traffic that goes through them. Major towns like Ikirun, Iwo, Ilesa, Ejigbo and Ila-Orangun are in dire need of wider major roads, to reduce the risk to lives occasioned by the dense traffic that passes through those towns.

“The Akoda – Oke Gada – Ido-Osun dualization that is currently going on in Ede is a template that should be replicated in the major towns mentioned above, as an alternative to erecting needless flyovers at Oke-Fia and Old Garage areas of Osogbo. Flyovers at those locations will at best end up as wastes of space and resources, and the Governor can better establish his legacy by dualizing major roads in the aforementioned major towns.”

Oyedokun-Alli also accused the Osun State Government of being silent about the subsidy removal palliatives for residents of the state even as it has confirmed the receipt of the N2bn from the Federal Government.

“We must also use this opportunity to condemn the secrecy that shrouds the distribution of the palliatives that were received from the Federal Government. For transparency’s sake, we encourage the Osun State Government to be more open with such distribution processes in future. Openness secures public confidence and the government cannot do without it.”

He also advised the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi to pick his words when addressing issues that have to do with pensioners.

Referring to a statement in which Alimi allegedly addressed the pensions as “unscrupulous elements”, the TOM Executive Director, added that issues of pensions should not be politicised to the point of calling senior citizens unprintable names.

• Yusuf Oketola