Some framers whose farmlands and produce were affected by the ongoing airport project in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State have thronged the airport in protest and appealed to the state government to fulfil its promise to compensate them monetarily.
The farmers consisting of aged men and women carried placards with various inscriptions, lamenting that they have been feeding from hand to mouth since their source of livelihood was destroyed.
Elder Omoremi Olarotimi who spoke on behalf of the protesting octogenarians told newsmen that the government is taking advantage of their old age and poor status to cheat them of their entitlements.
”You can see we are all old and aged people here, we have been begging and appealing but it appears the government is levering on the fact that we are too weak to do anything. We are here today to appeal so we can be compensated just like our other colleagues” he concluded.
The Project Coordinator of the airport Bunmi Awotiku while fielding questions from reporters in his Ado Ekiti office accused the protesters of being economical with the truth.
He said the state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi followed due process and ensured that all concerned persons were adequately compensated.
”This project started as far back as the administration of Engineer Segun Oni in 2010 and when former Gov Ayo Fayose came in he started the project even though he refused to consult experts and the communities affected and he was stopped by the court of law after the affected communities took him to the court for legal redress.
”It was the administration of Fayemi that took the matter out of court and called for a round table meeting with the farm owners and one Bolorunduro community which is no longer in existence.
”We even paid for the structures in that community.
”We went to these communities to speak with the people and their representatives and everything was documented.
Their names as you can see here, addresses and even phone numbers were taken to fast-track the enumeration process.
”When we called them for the enumeration some of them thinking the project will not be a success refused to show up but the majority showed up and we were able to enumerate the land and areas annexed.
”We have paid over 700 million in terms of compensation, we even started a second phase but we had to stop it when some of them started impersonating, falsification and re-enumerating the areas that have earlier been accounted for.
”These people who are now complaining attacked us with juju, and charms and we were even stoned at some point but we still appealed to them to allow the enumeration be done.
”We have paid and we are not owing them, I have the records here, they came to the pavilion here to get the cheques and for the records, nobody was paid in cash.
”As you can see for yourselves their pictures are here too for all to see, the dates, time and even places are all here.
”We transferred money into their accounts and each and every one of them has their names, addresses and phone numbers in print. It is not possible for us to pay twice and unless they are being manipulated or misled by some group of people trying to extort the government ”
Awotiku maintained that he has the records of all the over 600 persons who have all been paid and properly compensated.
