The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Wednesday accused the Ondo State Governor Mr Rotimi Akeredolu of stopping the allowances of soldiers at the checkpoints across the state.
According to a statement from the state secretariat of the PDP in Akure, the state capital, the soldiers had been withdrawn from the expressways as a result of the non-payment of their allowances by the state government.
The statement by the Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr Kennedy Peretei, also alleged that the security agents were being owed four-month allowance, hence their withdrawal from the roads.
The statement read in parts, “Soldiers that man security checkpoints in Ondo State, especially at the inter-state boundaries, have abandoned the checkpoints. This is as a result of the refusal of the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to pay allowances due to these personnel.
“Over the years, the Army high command approved the mobilisation of soldiers to 32 strategic locations in the state to stem the activities of kidnappers and other criminals on the condition that the state government pays a token as allowances to the soldiers. This arrangement preceded the incumbent administration under Akeredolu.
“Unfortunately, in the last four months, these allowances have not been paid. All efforts to appeal to the governor fell on deaf ears.
“The PDP Ondo State chapter joins other well-meaning Ondo State citizens to appeal to Governor Akeredolu to immediately pay the outstanding allowances due to the security personnel without further delay.
“The primary responsibility of any government is the protection of lives and property, a duty that has been observed by the APC government more in the breach. Even with the presence of the soldiers, the people don’t sleep with their two eyes closed, what happens when the criminals now have a field day because of the failure of the governor to do the needful?”
However, the state government said the allegation was mischievous and showed intention to rubbish the state security network, also known as Amotekun.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Donald Ojogo, said, “The Ondo State Government desires not to go into the merits of the flying story about non-payment of allowances to any arm of the military. It deserves no such efforts; more so that the concerned arm of the military has yet to issue any statement in that regards.
“It must be noted that notwithstanding the politicisation of any situation, the Ondo State Government, ably led by Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, shall not, under whatever circumstances, succumb to blackmail and allow any puerile allegation wrapped under ethnicised platforms to wrought further violence on our people.
“It must clear to all, including the PDP, that the target is Amotekun. Unfortunately for whomever whose motive is to perpetrate violence under any guise, our resolve to sustain Amotekun remains unwavering. Our time-tested character and attitude toward tackling insecurity even at odd times shall not be compromised.
