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Traditional rulers in Ogun State have enjoined the Federal Government to allocate funds to them through the Federal Allocation Account Committee (FAAC) to enable them meet their peoples basic needs.
The Alawowo of Awowoland, Oba Olasunkanmi Tijani, said this yesterday when the state’s Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) executive visited him to sensitise the community on the significance of the projects being undertaken.
Social Safeguard Officer of the project, Solomon Akindele, while addressing the Alawowo Oba-in-Council at Awowo in Ewekoro Local Government Area, said the project has deployed a grievance redress mechanism that would address complaints arising from constructing rural roads and agro-logistics hubs.
He assured that the RAMP has been doing a thorough job in evaluation of vendors to deliver quality job.
He was accompanied by members of the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) namely: the Agrologistics Officer, Dr. Funmi Beckly, Development Communication Specialist, Segun Adeleye, and the Consultants on Grievances Redress Mechanism/Communication Engagement Strategy, Sunday Akor and Dr. Qasim Akinreti.
The RAMP is a joint venture development initiative of the World Bank, Ogun State Government, French Development Agency and the European Investment Bank to ensure access to farmlands and build agro-logistics hubs to empower farmers, especially women and youths, along the value chain.
Speaking, Oba Tijani assured of his subjects’ cooperation to ensure the success of the project, saying: “Government through the FAAC should give an agreeable percentage to monarchs to meet their peoples’ needs.
“As the closest authority to the people, where many people come for assistance, we deserve to have certain percentage of the federal allocation, may be five per cent, as was the case in the past.”
Also speaking, the Alamuren of Okelamuren in Odogbolu Local Government Area, Oba Lawrence Oguntayo, cautioned against engaging contractors who will do shoddy jobs for the community.
He cited instances in the recent past where the Ita-Ale, Oke-Aje and New Market roads were constructed less than two months but got washed off by rain afterwards.
He said in addition to the prioritised six-kilometre road, the Celestial/Alamuren Palace junction should be considered, citing the cultural and historical importance of the area to Ijebu-Ode.
Meanwhile, the Oloritun of Owodunni quarters in Okelamuren, Chief Michael Adeleye has promised to mobilise everyone in the towns where the roads will pass through for the success of the project.
