Ondo community cries out over 16 years in darkness

Stakeholders in the Ute community, in the Ose council area of Ondo State, have cried out over the lack of electricity supply to the community for over 16 years.

Speaking under the auspices of the Ondo State Liberation Movement, its chairman, Oladipo Ajidahun condemned the” criminal neglect of the town by past administrations in the state.

Ajidahun in a statement in Akure lamented that, “the past and the present governments in the state feel unconcerned about the plight of the people of the area.”

The chairman added that “The Benin Electricity Distribution (BEDC) that is supposed to restore light to the community has also turned deaf ears to the various appeals by the community.

“It’s also very unfortunate, that those that have been representing the area in the past and present in the National Assembly also feel unperturbed, despite the huge amount that they have collected in past and present as constituent funds. Ute and its environs have never benefited from it.

“The so-called Senators and Members of the House Representatives only pocket all the funds. For more clarification, the road that links Owo and Ute was never constructed.

“During the regime of Pa Adekunle Ajasin, the said road was awarded to but it was done. Again, during the regime of Late Adebayo Adefarati, the same road was again awarded and despite the fact that the company was mobilized, the company refused to execute the project.

” Going through Ute and its environs you will be wondering if Ute, ever had a representative in Federal or State Assembly as there are no visible government presence in the area. It’s just a recent that the present Ondo State government, decided to rehabilitate Ute and Omelege Junction when is virtually cut from rest of the country.

”Despite Ute being the second largest town in Ose council area, it has no social infrastructure to justify its position. Going by history’s, Ute, is one of the towns that boost the economy of the Western Region, under the leadership of the Sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

“Ute is the largest producer of cocoa after idanre & Ile Oluji. The whole log of wood and Timber of the then African Timber, company, Sapele ferry to Abroad then were from Ute Forest Reserve. Ute has nothing to show for all its contributions to the Western Region and present Ondo State,” he explained.

Ajidahun opined that the neglect of the area was responsible for the spate of criminality in the community and its environs.

He raised the alarm that the Fulani herdsmen and bandits have turned the Ute and Owo forests reserve Okeluse / Ijagba into their hideouts.

According to him, they are also carrying out illegal mining in the areas.

” They build settlements there and mines gold and others pressure stones in the forest. They have occupied the area with the help of those they supplied their illegal gold to,” he said..

Ajidahun called on the government to investigate the allegation that helicopters fly to the area at odd hours to supply arms and ammunition in exchange for gold mining in the community.

He said that “the state government should act fast before that place is turned into another Zamfara State.”

(Vanguard)