By Ayodele Popoola

Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has been applauded for his quick response in addressing the security challenges noticed in some parts of the state.

Giving the commendation was a public affairs analyst and management consultant, Chief Dapo Filani.

According to him, the governor’s timely response and actions have restored public confidence and peace in the affected areas.

He particularly lauded the governor for deploying Amotekun and other security agencies to the affected areas, saying the development has put an end to criminal activities in the state.

“I come from the notorious area — Igbatoro — where several people and villages have been ravaged, but people are now regaining confidence and returning to their villages. The criminal herdsmen even drove me out of my major farm investment.

“I want to appreciate and commend our working Governor, Dr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for rising to the challenge. After the outcry, he has done so much.

“The same thing applies to Akoko. There are over 150 military personnel now stationed in Akoko, apart from other security agents. I understand the place is relatively calm now, with no reports of killings. We now have public confidence,” he said.

Filani, who is also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), equally urged chairmen of local government areas to take decisive measures against scavengers, even as he lauded some council bosses for their efforts so far.

“Some local governments are taking drastic actions against them. Clearly, in Okitipupa and Akure South, they are banning scavenging in some areas. These scavengers are perpetrating a lot of evil — they kidnap and kill. They even remove rooftop sheets in lonely places. They break down pillars to remove iron rods. That is their new approach now.”

The APC chieftain further commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for what he described as aggressive road infrastructure development across the state, saying it will further improve the socioeconomic situation.

He also appealed to the Governor to extend the kind gesture to the Igbatoro axis, an agrarian area, noting that doing so would boost food production and improve the socioeconomic conditions of the people in the affected communities.

“I want to appeal to Mr Governor to help us in Igbatoro. As an agrarian area, it is the food basket of Akure and Ondo State. The network of rural roads there urgently needs attention to boost food production in the state,” he added.

He listed the communities to include Imafon, Ilado, Iludasa, Eyin-Ala, Familugba, among others.

He noted that the affected communities have over 32,000 registered voters and have been contributing immensely to the socioeconomic development of the state, even though they have suffered neglect from successive administrations for the past 25 years.

“We also need strong traditional rulers.

There are no strong traditional rulers in those communities. The only traditional ruler we have is almost in Akure, at Imafon. And there are limits to what the Olus and Chiefs can do. There are authorities that are vested in Kabiyesis,” he stressed.

On the alleged corruption in the civil service, the analyst warned some civil servants in charge of processing retirees’ benefits against sabotaging government efforts.

According to him, some civil servants are fond of demanding up to ten percent of the benefits before assisting with the processing, describing the practice as criminal and one that should be discouraged in the civil service.on