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The Ondo State Government has suspended all activities in the state forest reserves including free areas and flitches with immediate effect.
Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, said the suspension was part of the far-reaching decisions made at the state executive council meeting on Monday.
He disclosed that the State Security Network code-named Amotekun has been directed to enforce the council decision, adding that anyone found engaging in any activities at the state forest reserves will be made to face the full extent of the law.
The government spokesperson further explained that the Head of Service has been directed to restructure the Ministry of Natural Resources so as to make it work in tandem with the expectation of the government and serve the interest of the people.
“The council has directed the Head of Service to embark on administrative overall at the ministry of natural resources. We observed that some interested Persons have turned the reserves into their private resources. Government has suspended all activities in the forest. There are no more free areas. Amotekun has been mandated to carry out to the fullest the issue of enforcement,” he said.
Ojogo said the state government will soon set up a committee to deal with the issue of the activities in the forest reserves.
The information commissioner said the council has also decided that all residents of the state must be vaccinated against the Covid-19 pandemic, stressing that the decision was made in view of the ongoing efforts of the state government to contain the spread of the Delta variant of the virus.
He said the council also approved that residents are giving two weeks ultimatum for vaccination after which evidence of vaccination will be criteria to access Churches, Mosques, Hospitals and other public places including government offices.
“Aside all existing protocols, all residents in the state must be vaccinated with effect from two weeks from now. After the expiration of this two weeks, evidence of vaccination will be the condition to access public places, churches, mosques. The Head of Service has been mandated to drive this process in the public service,” Ojogo stressed.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Entrepreneurship Development, Summy Smart Francis, said the council also decided to deploy brand new swam boggy to the three senatorial districts of the state to address the issue of flooding witnessed in the past few weeks.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Sir Charles Titiloye, stated that the council has approved that a memo for the establishment of Competition and Consumer Protection Agency be sent to the House of Assembly.
He also rolled out names of new traditional rulers and Chiefs as approved by the council.
They are Prince Gabriel Olaolu Olojido, the Eleti of Eti in Ifedore Local Government Area; David Adeola Garba, the Onisosan of Sosan in Akoko South-East Local Government Area; Prince Olaleye Ebenezer Babatunde, the Oluboropa of Iboropa in Akoko North-East Local Government Area; Prince Raphael Olaleye Ajibola Oluyede, the Alayede of Ayede-Ogbese in Akure North Local Government Area; and Prince Benson Ayodele Adebiyi, the new Elefifa of Efifa Ajowa Akoko in Akoko North- West Local Government Area.
In line with the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum at its last meeting in Lagos, the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN will tomorrow, 31st August, 2021, sign the Anti-open Grazing Bill into Law.
