Says it has spent over N160 million on their accommodation, feeding, others
Oyo State Government, yesterday, debunked the insinuation that it had abandoned the welfare of victims of Bodija explosion in Ibadan.In a statement by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, the government said the rumour was unfair and unnecessary.
He said that since the incident, the state had been spending between N15 million and N20 million weekly on accommodation and feeding of the victims in the past eight weeks.
“As we speak, the government has spent over N160 million on accommodation and feeding alone for the victims who were immediately accommodated at hotels. Thirty-eight of them are still residing in various hotels.
“Also, the state government has picked up a medical bill of over N17 million while those still in hospitals are being actively catered for,” the commissioner said.
Oyelade, who said that seven decent hotels were being used to accommodate victims of the unfortunate incident, also said that N2 million was being spent weekly, amounting to N16 million in eight weeks, for security operatives to protect the property left behind by the victims.
The commissioner refuted the allegation that some of the victims were ejected from their hotels. He said: ”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.
”Government does not think making an issue of fumigating a facility is the correct thing to do because such exercise is a routine and the prerogative of the hotel owners.
”On the accusation that the 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.”
Oyelade said that the state government appreciates the victims and the populace alike who see the genuineness of the state spending millions of naira to protect the property left behind by the victims, including the money spent on their medical bills, accommodation and feeding so far.
