Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state, on Tuesday, described farmers protesting over their forceful eviction from the state forest reserves as encroachers, who have breached the agreement with the state government.
This is just as the governor exonerated the agro-allied firm, SAO Agro-Allied Services, its former Managing Director and the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotinrin, over the allegations of forceful takeover of lands and destruction of farmlands by cocoa farmers in the reserves.
In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the allegations that Sotinrin is using a private firm to seize farmlands are malicious, unfounded, and a clear attempt at character assassination.
According to the governor, the state government and all related agencies; public and private, have acted strictly within the framework of the law over the relocation of the farmers who refused to keep to the agreement.
He stated that there was no time either during electioneering or otherwise, that he promised to support illegal occupants of government land or forest reserves.
The statement read: “The attention of the Ondo State Government has been drawn to reports of protests by some cocoa farmers over farm settlements in the state.
“The said reports contain a number of misleading claims, emotional distortions, and deliberate misrepresentations aimed at discrediting the government’s ongoing efforts to reform and sanitize land use practices within government reserve areas across the state.
“The Ondo State Government reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the welfare of genuine farmers and the responsible, equitable, and legal use of only declassified degraded forest reserves for agricultural purposes. It is, however, necessary to clarify and correct the public narrative currently being circulated”.
Speaking on the illegal occupation and breach of agreement, the governor explained that: “Many of the aggrieved farmers currently occupying parts of the Oluwa Forest Reserve (OA3A) have breached existing agreements and exceeded designated land allocation parameters.
“Some have encroached into restricted forest zones without authorisation, while others have failed to comply with the agreed land use terms, posing serious environmental and security concerns.
“Contrary to the claims of contempt for court injunctions, the Ondo State Government and all related agencies; public and private, have acted strictly within the framework of the law.
“Where litigations are ongoing, every step taken has been guided by legal counsel, verified surveys, and documented notifications. No action has been taken arbitrarily”
He, however, said the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agribusiness, Rotimi Wemimo Akinsola is a government appointee overseeing agribusiness in the state.
“His role involves the strategic management of large-scale commercial agriculture investors granted concessions to develop extensive hectares of land, an effort that is expected to create thousands of jobs and boost the state’s revenue.
“Claims suggesting that he is involved in land grabbing are not only false but politically driven and completely at variance with the facts.
“It is equally important to clarify that Mr. Ayo Sotinrin is the Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, a federal government institution.
“Allegations implying that he is using a private firm to seize farmlands are malicious, unfounded, and a clear attempt at character assassination.
“SAO Agro-Allied Services, on its part, has been operating under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement approved by the state since 2021.
“The firm’s acquisition and development of agro-industrial zones have followed due process and are under full government oversight. None of its activities involves the unlawful takeover of legally secured farms,” he said.
The statement stated further that: “Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa wishes to state emphatically that at no time, whether during electioneering or otherwise, did he make any promise to support illegal occupants of government land or forest reserves.
“His administration remains committed to legal, inclusive, and forward-looking agricultural development. An investigation is ongoing to identify genuine farmers with verifiable claims, separate from speculators and unlawful occupants.
“The Governor remains open to dialogue with all stakeholders and is determined to protect livelihoods without compromising the rule of law.
“This administration remains committed to transparency, environmental sustainability, and the growth of agriculture as the backbone of the state’s economy”.
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