The Ondo State Government has said it is not displacing villagers particularly those occupying free areas in the state.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agric and Agric business, Pastor Akin Olotu said the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu led-administration is not out to punish anybody but to make things better.
Olotu was reacting to media reports that the Government is planning to wipe out 19 villages in Ondo west local government area villages and displace over 50,000 farmers for the benefit of private firm owned by some Indians and Chinese.
According to him, no sensible government will displace anybody in any free area.
“So we want to look at that place, i will invite their representatives, we will sit down together and look at a win-win situation and see how we can we accommodate their interests in what we are doing.
“Governance is about the people. So when we see what is on ground, we will know what to do.
Our little investigation shows that where they are is even out of where those people are coming to work.
“So maybe it’s anticipatory action, that may be. We will send Government surveyors there to confirm the precise location, if anybody is affected, we will look at it whether it’s government reserve because nobody came to us in the office and i think that should be the first thing to do, to come to say okay what is going on here.
“So we will find out, we will look at how we will resolve the whole thing amicably. So if they are in government reserve, we will know what to do.
“If they are in free area, we already know what to do. Nobody’s interest will be jeopardised, that’s what I will say. The Governor is not out to punish anybody but to make things better. So we will look at it. Thank you.” He said.
