JUST IN!!! Lawmaker Protests Exclusion Of Communities From Ondo Bitumen Map By Akeredolu

Forum 3 years ago

JUST IN!!! Lawmaker Protests Exclusion Of Communities From Ondo Bitumen Map By Akeredolu

The lawmaker representing Ese-Odo State Constituency in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Success Torhukerhijo, has expressed dismay over the alleged exclusion of communities from the bitumen map in the state by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

Torhukerhijo, who described the action of the state government as unjust and unfair, stated that Ese-Odo Local Government is the third largest council area with bitumen deposit in Ondo State.

According to the lawmaker in an open letter addressed to Governor Akeredolu, the Ijaws and Apois, which make up Ese-Odo Local Government viewed the action as a deliberate ploy to reverse their gains by denying them of the accrued benefits of the exploitation of natural resources abound in their locality.

In the letter obtained by NAIJALOADED, Torhukerhijo, who is from the same local government with the embattled deputy governor of the state, Agboola Ajayi told Akeredolu that

“May it please your Excellency to know that following the discovery of bitumen deposits by Shell “D” Carey in 1900, Igbobini has Well 307C while the deposit in Igbekebo with Well 308B is said to be the second-largest bitumen well in the whole world, amongst other Ijaw-Apoi communities with large deposits of bitumen in Ondo State.”

The lawmaker added that with the available records and facts, the anomaly should be immediately corrected in other not to create tension and uneasiness in Ese-Odo.

Torhukerhijo maintained that

“as the representative of the people, I cannot be reasonably expected to keep mute over a critical issue of this nature. I, therefore, implore you to immediately recall the bitumen map currently in circulation and correct it by including all communities and areas of Ese-Odo local government with acknowledged and verifiable bitumen deposits in order to douse the rising tension amongst law-abiding indigenes of Ese-Odo Local Government.”