​Don't Turn Deaf Ears, Declare State of Emergency on Border Community Crisis And Ogun West Roads - OWYSAF Urges Gov. Abiodun

Ogun West Youths Stakeholders Advocacy Forum (OWYSAF) has called on the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, MFR, on the urgent need to heed to the daily cries of Ogun West citizens, most especially those living around border communities.

The group in a press statement made available to the press on Thursday after getting the pitiful report of the height of sufferings inflicted on citizens of Ipokia Local Government over the scarcity and hiked price of fuel (N800 - N900 per liter) around the axis coupled with unbearable torture and untimely death from officers on checkpoint to the citizens amongst many other unpleasant complaints, called on the attention of the Government at all levels to as a matter of urgency come to the rescue of the citizens in every possible way they can.

The group urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to as a matter of urgency declare state of emergency on all border communities related crises before it gets totally out of hand, it is also noted that the state of roads in Ogun west is one that continues to disfigure the beautiful potential of the State since there's no proper approach to ensure road maintenance.

"Our people across the 5 local government areas that made up Ogun west are tired of this height of suffering, with the very bad state of all our roads that has always claimed lives on daily basis, our farmers in Ipokia Local Government keeps complaining of extortion from armed uniformed men which as a matter of fact is not encouraging farming and agricultural businesses."

"The excesses and abuse of power by our law enforcement agents is on the alarming rate and calls for critical attention, because in the process of their stop and search in some of our major roads, our females including students from Ilaro Polytechnic are being harassed and molested as a method of engagement along Ilaro-Owode road and other border roads by some law enforcement agents, with the pretence of searching for smuggled goods."

"Some of our communities do not have water to drink, some suffer from numerous abandoned federal and state projects, some suffer from blackouts due to the very poor state of electricity supply, scarcity and hiked price of fuel while some do not have access to quality education due to weakened school buildings" the statement reads.

We are therefore using this medium to call on the Governor to stop turning deaf ears to the yearnings of our suffering citizens with more focus on undertaking proper investigation on these live threatening and pressing issues with proffering lasting solutions to them as a means of paying back the good gesture of Ogun West indigenes that stood firmly by voting massively which led to the Governor's re-election success, even when his own senatorial district could not deliver.

According to the group, all these above listed issues have remained worrisome on daily basis resulting to loss of lives, agricultural discouragement which is not good for the economic status of the state as a result of frequent accidents, tortures, molestations and extortions". Hence the need for a declaration of a State of emergency.