National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The State government has debunked the insinuation that it has abandoned the welfare of victims of the Bodija explosion in Ibadan.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, the government said the rumour is unfair and unnecessary.
The commissioner revealed that ever since the January 16 explosion, the government has been spending between 15 and 20 million naira weekly on accommodation and feeding for the victims in the past eight weeks.
“As we speak, the government has spent over 160 million naira on accommodation and feeding alone for the victims who were immediately accommodated at the Hotels and the 38 of them still residing in the various hotels.” The commissioner said.
“In the same vein, the government has picked up a medical bill of over 17 million naira while those still in hospitals are being actively catered for.”
The commissioner said that seven decent hotels, some in highbrow areas, are being used to accommodate victims of the unfortunate incident.
The commissioner also said that two million naira is spent weekly, amounting to 16 million naira in eight weeks, for security operatives to protect the property left behind by the victims.
On the rumour that some of the victims were ejected from their hotels, the information commissioner said nothing could be further from the truth.
One of the hotels at Idi-Ape informed their occupants that they would like to fumigate their premises and the State government took it upon itself to immediately arrange transportation for the explosion victims to be accommodated in another hotel at Jericho together with members of their families.
The government does not think making an issue of fumigating a facility is the correct thing to do because such exercise is routine and the prerogative of the hotel owners.
On the accusation that victims’ meals have been reduced to one, the government sees this as equally spurious because many hotels provide complimentary breakfast, and most of our wards go out in the daytime, hence, the government’s decision to provide dinner.
Prince Dotun Oyelade said that the government is humbled by the gratitude and understanding shown by the victims and the populace alike who see the genuineness of the government spending millions of naira to protect the property left behind by the victims including the large sums of money spent on their medical bills, accommodation and feeding so far.
