By James Sowole
The Congress for Rights of Ondo Southern Nationalities (CROSN) has appealed to Ondo State Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to rescue the southern-most part of the state from 15 years of power blackout.
The congress, however, commended Akeredolu for appointing a woman and an indigene of Ondo South, Mrs Oladunni Odu as the new Secretary to the State Government (SSG).
It made this call in a communique by its National President Abiodun Fanoro and Secretary Tunde Aiyenumelo, lamenting that the southernmost part of the state had been without power supply for 15 years.
The congress urged the governor to deeply reflect on the socio-economic implication of power blackout in Okitipupa, Ilaje, Irele and Ese-Odo Local Government Areas (LGAs) for over 15 years.
It noted that it was no wonder the rate of criminality was unprecedented and unduly high, as the basic local economic activities like welding, hair-cut and hair-dressing had become moribund.
The congress further noted that keeping over one million people in darkness for this long certainly negated the lofty and good rural and urban development programmed by the government to discourage migration from the rural environment to the cities.
It reminded the governor that it was the love and confidence people in the area had in him and his administration to wipe away their tears, that made them vote massively for him.
The congress urged Akeredolu to be the governor who broke the jinx and record of restoring electricity to three major ethnic-nations in the state made up of the Ikales, Ilajes and the Ijaws spread in four vast local government areas and collectively accounted for over 70 percent of the income of the state.
The congress noted that the appointment of a woman as SSG, clearly showed Akeredolu was a promoter of gender equality, urging him to further reflect this as he continued with the task of constituting his cabinet.
While rejoicing with the entire women in Ondo State over what it described as a remarkable recognition of their invaluable worth and capacity, the congress admonished the new SSG to justify the confidence reposed in Ondo women and prove that what men can do, women can do better and further use it as a stepping stone to taking women to the highest office in the state sooner than later.
The congress, while expressing its appreciation to Akeredolu for considering the area in the appointment, said this would serve as a further rallying point for the area to pursue and actualise its desire to produce the next governor of the state after Akeredolu.
The congress, also, lauded what it described as the courageous and historic decision of Akeredolu on the menace and aggression by killer-herders in the state.
It added that it took particular notice that Akeredolu bluntly refused to play politics with the lives of his people as done by some of his colleagues and at the risk of an uncomplimentary reaction by the presidency in Abuja.
The congress charged the governor “not to waiver or look back in the implementation of the state’s anti-herders’ aggression policy, assuring him of its full support and vowed to mobilise people, especially those from Southern Ondo to support the governor on this matter of security, lives and property of people in the state.”
