The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has described as “timely and appropriate“ the government’s ban on the activities of Tipper and Quarry Owners’ Association.
The party, which hailed the government’s decision, said it was taken in the people interest.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties and Strategy to the Governor, Dr Doyin Odebowale, pronounced the ban on Tuesday at a news conference in Akure.
Odebowale described the increase in the price of “sharp sand“ from N25,000 to N60,000 per tipper load as “extortion“ by the association.
The party’s reaction is in a statement issued by Mr Alex Kalejaye, the Publicity Secretary, on Wednesday in Akure.
“The party is deeply worried about the resolve of the association to increase the price of a tipper load of sand by a huge margin.
“As a matter of fact, feelers from the majority of the stakeholders in the state show that the increase would cause excruciating effects on the different end-users, including the struggling segment of the society.
“No responsive government would sit back and watch the citizens groan under an oppressive decision, no matter the cover,” Kalejaye said.
According to him, the government’s timely reaction affirms the fact that the Rotimi Akeredolu-led administration is “roundly committed“ to the well-being of the citizenry.
He explained that it took a government that listened to the yearnings of its people and served dispassionately to always be on its guard.
He said that the electorate that entrusted their mandate to the government deserved protection.
Kalejaye said the APC-led administration would explore all positive measures in its quest to ensure an economically buoyant state.
“Some of the efforts are already yielding fruits while others are at advanced stages, from which individuals and organisations will benefit in the shortest possible time,” he said.
Kalejaye appealed to various associations in the state to show understanding and do their best to avoid imposing hardship on the people.
According to him, every organisation is perceived as a partner in the government’s ongoing development strides. (NAN)
