Put 2021 budget on hold, lawmaker urges Akeredolu over neglect for Ijaws

The lawmaker representing Ese-Odo Constituency in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Success Taiwo Torhukerhijo, has urged Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to suspend the 2021 budget over neglect for the Ijaws.

Torhukerhijo made this known in a statement he personally signed on Thursday.

Recall that Governor Akeredolu had in November presented a budget of N159billion to the state House of Assembly.

In reaction, Torhukerhijo lamented that the oil producing Ese-Odo Local Government has absolutely nothing appropriated for its people and development.

The lawmaker said Akeredolu has continued to show flagrant disregard and disrespect for the Ijaws who are the minorities of Ondo State.

He, however, called on the governor to correct the obvious anomaly, amend a discriminatory budget and make it an all inclusive budget where what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

Read full statement below:

Any moment from now, a new budget will be passed in Ondo State. The budget with a total appropriation of 159.796 billion has over 56.774 billion as capital estimates.

It is unfortunate and heartbreaking that the present administration since inception in past four years has spent close to 900 billion naira and Ese-Odo Local Government which is one of the two local governments that qualified Ondo state to earn its Oil Producing Status cannot boast of any meaningful development.

In the present scenario, with an estimated 56.774 billion plus, it is highly incredulous that the oil producing Ese-Odo Local Government has absolutely nothing appropriate for its people and development. Worse hit is the Arogbo-Ijaw area where the Paramount ruler, His Imperial Majesty, Pere Zacceus Egbunu and Concerned Arogbo Ibe Citizens on different occasions met with Mr. Governor and made proposals and suggestions to the government on preferred infrastructural projects.

As the representative of the people, I am obligated to express my constraints as all my efforts to ensure that something is done to redress this ugly trend is frustrated by the powers that be and their accomplices in various organs of government.

The Akeredolu led Government for the umpteenth time has continued to show flagrant disregard and disrespect for the Ijaws who are the minorities of Ondo State.

It is infuriating that the Ijaws who abandoned their own son to cast their vote massively for the Governor could be subjected to such a horrifying treatment in their God given land in spite of their contribution to the common wealth of Ondo State.

It is imperative to at this juncture to call on religious and opinion leaders and men of goodwill to come to the aid of the minorities who have a right to co-exist in this state with the attendant engagement of rights and privileges, by impressing it on the Governor and his cabinet to halt their determination to subjugate the peace loving people of Ese-Odo, nay Arogbo-Ijaws.

The Governor is enjoined to put the budget on hold until all segments of the state are adequately taken care of particularly the deprived Ijaws.

It is instructive to point out that this Press Statement should by no means be seen or interpreted to mean an opposition or disloyalty to the government of Governor Akeredolu, or the APC in Ondo state. Rather, it should be seen as a patriotic call to correct an obvious anomaly, amend a discriminatory budget and make it an all inclusive budget where what is good for the goose is good for the gander. The good people of Ese-Odo who voted massively for Akeredolu in 2016 and also repeated same against all odds in 2020 shouldn’t have to regret their decision so soon, so early.

I would like to appeal to the youths of Ijaw land to remain peaceful and law abiding in the face of this apparently provocative and highly vexatious occurrences for our consolation is in the Bible, in the sixth verse of Psalm 103 which says “the Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed”.