Ogun monarchs selling govt land, planting Indian hemp – Abiodun

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Monday, alleged that some traditional rulers have been found to be selling lands belonging to the state government.

He also said that some of these traditional rulers are selling government reserve forests to some criminals who are now planting Indian hemp inside this forest.

The governor said he had hoped these reports against the traditional rulers would be unfounded rumours but was shocked and disappointed to find out that the allegations were indeed true.

He, therefore, warned that his administration would take disciplinary action against any person found selling land in its forest reserves and plantation across the state.

Abiodun gave the warning at the Statutory Meeting of the State Council of Obas, held at the Oba’s Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

He described the action of the people, including some Obas who sell government land, as unpatriotic.

He said, “We will continue to seek your support in the area of lands. Sadly, cases have been reported to us here in Abeokuta about some of our monarchs who have taken it upon themselves to allocate government land, government forest reserves, and plantations to others. They’ve been allocating and selling government lands.

“I have found this very difficult to believe. I consider this extremely unpatriotic that our monarchs will now begin to allocate such lands to others and worst still, in some of the areas, the land is being allocated to non-Ogun State indigenes.

“Our Kabiyesis are colluding with people from outside Ogun State and giving our land to them in our plantations and they are coming there, deforesting them. They are destroying the plantation. They are planting Indian hemp there. I was completely heartbroken when I heard this news and when we actually verified it was true.

“As a responsible state government, we will not have any choice but to take disciplinary action against any person found culpable of such an act; any person, be it Kabiyesi or any person.

“Because, this land does not belong to me, it doesn’t belong to you. It belongs to our collective patrimony; it is our collective property that we own as a state. It is our commonwealth, and we should endeavour to ensure that we do not engage in such acts like this capable of tarnishing the image of the royalty and the throne.”

Abiodun, who intimated the monarchs of his administration’s efforts at bringing in more investors to the state, said the Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of the Ogun State Dry Port at Kajola would be signed between the state government and a private investor before the end of the year, while discussions on the use of the Cargo Airport by Beninoise investors had been held with that country’s President.

“It means in Ogun State, we will now have a dry port that will now enable all of us, including our industries and manufacturers to ship their goods from anywhere in the world to Kajola. This Memorandum of Understanding will be signed between now and Christmas.

“Last week, I met with the President of Benin Republic. He shared with me the fact that the government of Benin Republic has heard so much about our airport, sent delegates and determined as a government that they want to be the first customer to export from our airport.

“They have decided that all their agro produce will be brought down from Benin Republic to our airport and will be exported to the rest of the world from our airport.”

On his administration’s plan for the health sector, the governor noted that his government has decided to concession the 250-bed hospital in Abeokuta.

According to the governor, the state does not have the capacity to run the hospital, hence the decision to allow others to handle its day-to-day activities.

“We are going to be signing the Memorandum of Understanding on the 250-bed hospital right here in Abeokuta.

“We realise that the state will not be able to run that hospital because as it is, our tertiary hospital, OOUTH, costs the state almost N300 million every month in salaries alone. We appreciate the fact that the state is not in a position to run that hospital the way it needs to be run.

“From what we have seen and done, if that hospital is properly run, medical tourism will be attracted to that hospital.

“So, the state has adopted a template that we will be the landlord owning that property and others should come and take the concession of that property and run it professionally.

“Before the end of the year, we are also signing the Memorandum of Understanding with the Afrexim Bank and the medical group that has agreed to take over that hospital, complete it and operationalise it professionally,” he added.

He expressed gratitude to the monarchs for their support during and after the governorship election.

He also called on them to continue partnering with the government in the area of security by providing intelligence reports that would help security agencies perform optimally for the socio-economic development of the state.

In his welcome address, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ganiyu Hamzat, acknowledged the partnership between the state government and the traditional institution that has brought about peace at the grassroots, calling on them to continue to support the government in bringing development to every part of the state.

The Chairman, Ogun State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, lauded the state government for its developmental stride in all parts of the state, appreciating the governor for his magnanimity to the traditional institution.