Bodija Explosion: Oyo govt insists victims are well catered for
By Stephen Gbadamosi
The Oyo State government has debunked insinuations that it has abandoned the welfare of victims of Bodija explosion in Ibadan, the state capital.
A statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, on Monday, said the rumour was unfair and unnecessary.
The commissioner revealed that ever since the January 16 explosion, government had been spending between N15 and N20 million weekly on accommodation and feeding of the victims in the past eight weeks.
“As we speak, government has spent over N160 million on accommodation and feeding alone for the victims who were immediately accommodated in hotels; and 38 of them are still residing in the various hotels,” he said.
“In the same vein, government has picked up a medical bill of over N17 million, while those still in hospitals are being actively catered for.”
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The commissioner said that seven decent hotels, some in highbrow areas, were being used to accommodate victims of “the unfortunate incident.”
Oyelade also said that N2 million was spent weekly, amounting to N16 million 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 commissioner said nothing could be farther 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 alongside members of their families.
“Government does not think making an issue of fumigating a facility is the correct thing to do because such an exercise is routine and the prerogative of the hotel owners.
“On the accusation that victims’ meals have been reduced to one, government sees this as equally spurious, because many hotels provide complimentary breakfast; and most of our wards go out in the day time; hence, government’s decision to provide dinner,” he explained.
Prince Oyelade said government was humbled by the gratitude and understanding shown by the victims and the populace alike “who see the genuineness of 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.”
