Group Protests Poor Road Network, Unfair Treatment in Ondo

Fidelis David in Akure

A group, under the auspices of Akoko Consultative Forum ( ACF), yesterday  protested over bad roads in the various localities of Akoko North-east, Akoko North-west, Akoko South-east and Akoko South-west local government areas of Ondo state.

The aggrieved natives said Akoko, which comprises about 40 small towns, predominantly situated in rocky areas of the state and as a subgroup, make up 20.3 per cent  of the population of the sunshine state.

While registering their displeasure at Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, in Akure, the president of the group, Pa Rogbitan Lawrence Ibukun said it was time for Akoko people to wake up and fight the aged-long cases of injustice and marginalisation of Akoko in the infrastructural and political space of the state.

The ACF president called on the state government led by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to, as a matter of urgency, complete the Ikare – Ajowa Road and interface on Akungba- Oka – Ishua – Ibilo Road as well as, Owo-Ikare Road.

“As much as we support Ondo State government’s vision and mission to create new LCDAs in Ondo State , we demand 16 LCDAs in Akoko as follows: Akoko North East – 4 LCDAs; Akoko North West – 4 LCDAs; Akoko South East – 3 LCDAs; Akoko South West – 5 LCDAs

“We call for upgrading of our deserving Obas in Akoko to Grade ‘A’ as it was done in others zones”.

The group noted that when Ondo State was created out of the then Western Region, Akoko was the second largest ethnic group after Ekiti, having two Local Government Councils out of 18 council areas for both Akoko and Ekiti, namely Akoko South and Akoko North.

“When Ekiti State was created out of old Ondo State, Akoko become the largest single ethnic group in Ondo State, having four Local Government Areas out of 18. Other ethnic groups making up the present Ondo State are, the Owos, two LGAs, the Akures, two LGAs, the Ondos two LGAs the Ileluji/Odigbos, two LGAs, the Ikales, two LGAs, the Ilaje/Ijaw, two LGAs and the Idanre/Ijares, two LGAs.

“Akoko is made up of four (4) Local Government Areas viz, Akoko North East LGA with 13 political wards; Akoko North West with 10 political ward; Akoko South East with 11 political wards and Akoko South West with 15 political wards .

“As at 2006 which is still the current Census figure that is recognized in Nigeria , the population of the four (4) Akoko Local Government Areas are as follow : Akoko North East LGA is 179,092; Akoko North West LGA is 211,867; Akoko South East is 82,443 and Akoko South West is 228,383 while Ose was 144,139 and Owo was 222,262”, Ibukun stressed.

The group questioned why the four Akoko LGAs were allocated Nine LCDAs while Owo and Ose with only two LGAs were allocated Eight LCDAs by Akeredolu’s government.