By Correspondent in Ado-Ekiti
The people of Oye-Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti state, have lauded the Federal Government for its intervention in the community to tackle the pervasive gully erosion, development he noted, had been stunting the economic growth of the area for many years.
The President, Oye Progressive Union (OPU), Mr Lucas Oniyelu, and Traditional ruler of the community, the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Michael Ademolaju, made the commendation at the Palace of the Oloye, while receiving a Federal Government team that paid a courtesy visit to the Oba, on Tuesday.
Oniyelu led other executive members of the OPU to join the traditional ruler to welcome Mr Victor Emmanuel, Consultant to the project and the Ecological officer, Office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Musa Funa, as well as the project contractor.
Earlier,Funa told the host community that their mission was to assure them that the team would do a good job to the satisfaction of the people of Oye-Ekiti.
The Reporters gathered that the intervention programme, billed to cost over N920 million, would involve control of gully erosion in different parts of the community, construction of box, pipe culverts and drainage on a canal.
He said the contractor had been mobilised to the site, and handed a nine-month completion date.
Also receiving the team,Oba Ademolaju commended the Presidentfor assisting the community while assuring him of their utmost loyalty and support at all times.
He described Oye-Ekiti as a community that would forever remain grateful to the President for tackling the erosion menace that had been affecting the community for a long time.
”The ecological problems have been with the community over several years, all efforts to appeal to past governments, at the federal level, with our several letters through the state government, have not yielded any attention until President Muhammadu Buhari smiled at us and decided to favour us, hence our appreciation to him and his administration,” the monarch said.
He explained that the project would no doubt improve economic activities in Oye community and its environs, assuring the contractor that Oye is ”a peaceful, loving, and caring community” and that the contractor should, therefore, feel free to interact with members of the community.
Other dignitaries present at the courtesy call, include members of Oloye in Council, Iyaaloja in Oye Local Government Area, Chief Olu Adegboyega and former Chairman of Oye Local Government Council, Mr Tale Oguntoyinbo.
