Following the call by a group under the aegis of the Ondo Reform Vanguard asking Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to investigate irregularities and fraud occuring in the State Forest Reserves, the Authorized Consultant engaged by the State Government has reacted to the claim of the group describing it as baseless and a sponsored cooked narrative to cause confusion in the state.
In a Press Statement released but a private firm, God Lovely Nigeria Enterprise, the Consultant refuted the claims of the group saying his company is duely engaged and given approval by the State Government to collect rent and register all occupants working in the Reserves.
The Chairman of the company, Mr Femi Ajayi ‘Alabora’ added that, contrary to the claim by the group that his company is distributing unauthorized forms to farmers and demanding certain fees for registration, he said whatever demand being made by the company for the Reserves occupants is authorized by the government and the government has knowledge of it.
*We have government approval to register farmers and collect land rent from them and whatever steps being taken by our staff is legal, authorized and have the backing of government. We are not alone as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and other relevant government agencies are aware of our activities in the Reserves”.
Speaking further, Alabora stated that the farmers and occupants of the Reserves were called to a meeting at Adegbemile Hall in Akure some few weeks back where officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Government Agencies notified them of what are required of them in regard to the registration and rent collection.
He cautioned the alleged sponsor of any group to toe the line of integrity saying he gains nothing instigating the farmers against the government, adding that whoever plan to disrupt the activities of his staff will face the full wrath of the law.
His words: ” We are not perturb by the sponsor of different groups against our activities. Before now, this same set of sponsor leveled allegation of extortion against us when we have not started operation at all and their propaganda failed.
In the meeting we have with the farmers which recorded massive turnout, the farmers were briefed and they promised to cooperate with our company and now they have come up with another narrative that we are collecting unauthorized fees, again, they have failed”.
Alabora urged whoever behind this several attacks on company’s activities at Reserves to approach the relevant authority if they have any grievance rather than creating nuisance and instigating the farmers and public against the company.
He appealed to the farmers to cooperate with his staff whenever they come around for registration, saying there’s nothing for the state government to investigate since they are the one who authorized them to function on its’ behalf as the Land Rent Collector.
