Some aggrieved youths in Iragbiji, the country home of the minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola on Thursday vowed to resist all moves being taken by the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke to turn a Federal Government-SDGs skill acquisition centre in the town into a campground where unknown faces are kept.
Though, a few weeks ago, the deputy governor who doubles as the state Commissioner for Sports and Special Needs, Kola Adewumi ordered the movement of the football camp to the centre.
Felt infuriated with the development, the youths, under the aegis of Iragbiji Youths Development Association led by Dr Jimoh Olorede at a press conference in the town, appealed to the government to have rethink on its steps or see the other eyes of them.
“As a community, we would not allow this to happen. The mission of the SDGS as agreed upon by United Nations member countries, including Nigeria and other developed and developing countries to solve some of humanity’s biggest challenges must strictly be adhered to by Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“The aim of the SDGs to end poverty and hunger, increase access to education, address migration, and reduce inequality which necessitated the location of the Skill Acquisition Centre at Iragbiji is paramount to us as indigenes of Iragbiji.
“We therefore urge Governor Ademola Adeleke to complement the efforts of the facilitator of the project and his predecessor in office who is now a Minister, by implementing the policy thrust of the Federal Government on the Centre. This is what we urge Governor Ademola Adeleke and his government to do, instead of pursuing vendetta and making his predecessor a target of his calumnies.
“We also appeal to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaiu Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to direct the Osun State government on adherence to our appeal by relocating his agents to a ministry, department, or state agency related to their purpose and leaving Iragbiji Skill Acquisition Centre for its purpose,” the youths said.
He thereafter admonished the governor to relocate the campground within 21 days and complement the effort of his predecessor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola to let the centre be used for the purpose it was built for.
When contacted, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals and Multilateral Relations, Bankole Omisore, said; “In the interim, a portion of the hostel within the facility is being used to temporarily house members of Osun United Football Club, until the end of the season in which the athletes will continue using a portion of the hostel”.
