Protests on Thursday rocked the venue of the public hearing on a bill for the creation of the Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) in Ondo State organised by the state’s House of Assembly in Akure.
Daily Trust reports that the public hearing was aimed at brainstorming on the document, which will finally give credence to the creation of the 33 LCDAs to complement the existing 18 local government areas in Ondo State.
Late last month, the state government announced the creation of 33 LCDAs saying it would share the same power and function with the existing 18 local government areas of the state once it becomes law and fully implemented.
Yesterday, leaders and members of some communities in the state stormed the venue of the public hearing in Akure to demand more creation of LCDAs for their domain.
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The protesters from Ijaw in Ese Odo LGA demanded more LCDAs to be created out of Ese-Odo LGA instead of ceding their land to Ilaje LGA.
They decried that the Okparama I and II and Ogidigba were ceded to Ilaje LGA while part of Apoi 4 and 5 were ceded to Irele LGA.
The protesters were led by the traditional rulers, Sunday Amiseghan, Kalasuwei of Apoi land and Pere-Doubra Egbunu, Agadagba of Arogbo-Ijaw.
Mr Amiseghan, the Kalasuwei of Apoi Land, lamented that the Ijaws had been marginalised being the only non-Yoruba speaking people in Ondo State.
Also, the members of Isikan, through their leader, Olugbenga Ojo, demanded that an LCDA should be created for their community.
However, his position was disrupted by some aggrieved youths and supporters of the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyin Aladelusi Ogunlade, causing rowdiness at the venue.
