The people of Ilaje in Ilaje local government area of Ondo State, under the aegis of Ilaje Advancement Forum, IAF, have admonished the state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, to refrain from interfering in the running of the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, OSOPADEC.
IAF, in a petition obtained by DAILY POST, accused Akeredolu of meddling in the management of the 13% oil derivation fund accruing to the state from the Federation Account which they said does not commensurate with the development of mandate communities of riverine areas.
The petition entitled: “Protest Letter On The Interference Of OSOPADEC’S 40% Of 13% Oil Derivation In Ondo State: A Call For OSOPADEC’S Autonomy” addressed to the governor was signed by Akinjole Rimson for the group and copied to the presidency.
It reads, “Your Excellency Sir, we have observed with dismay the State Governments total disregard for what the law book says in respect of managing the 13% oil derivation fund accruing to Ondo state from the federation account.
“If you recall, in 2001, The ONDO STATE OIL PRODUCING AREA DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (OSOPADEC) was set up in the wisdom of our forebearers, through a legislative act of Ondo state House of Assembly, to judiciously manage 40% of the 13% oil derivative on behalf of the mandate communities.
“However, It is most appalling to note that the state government has persistently disallowed OSOPADEC from independently managing the 40% of 13% duly apportioned for the development and welfare of the mandate communities which is a germane purpose for which OSOPADEC was created in the first place.
“It is unfortunate that this meddlesomeness of OSOPADEC’s 40% has left tales of sorrow, tears and blood in the neglected mandate communities.
“Today, OSOPADEC is unable to intervene in the ravaging ocean attacks on oil-bearing communities of Ayetoro, Mese, Gbagira, ABEREKE etc as a result of their reliance on directives from your office.”
IAF gave a 21-day ultimatum for total autonomy to be given to the commission by ensuring that 40% of the 13% derivation is exclusively used to rescue communities from extinction via sea incursion amongst other developmental initiatives which the group said is being done by its DESOPADEC counterpart in Delta State.
“We have repeatedly clamoured for the construction of sea embarkment, which is by no means a rocket science. Delta State counterpart of OSOPADEC, DESOPADEC, did it for even an inaccessible Ogulagha town that is even an Island inside the sea. We wonder why our own commission has always looked the other way, when the cooperate existence of the mandate communities is being threatened.
“It beats our imagination that Ondo state government feigns helplessness, as it folds her hands and watch this preventable sea incursion swallowing up our ancient towns.
“We are hereby serving a-21 day notice to Ondo state government, to hands off OSOPADEC’s fund by granting her a total autonomy in which 40% of the total 13% derivation fund is domiciled exclusively in an OSOPADEC’S dedicated account, for the purpose of rescuing our land from extinction, amongst other developmental initiatives.
“Expiration of this notice shall culminate in a peaceful and organic protest by the entire ILAJE descent across Ondo state and beyond to legitimately demand a dedicated OSOPADEC’S account where 40% of the 13% derivation fund will be domiciled and exclusively administered by OSOPADEC for the mandate communities,” IAF said in the petition.
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