Makinde reveals when Bodija explosion victims will get relief
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, received the report of the committee on management/disbursement of the Bodija Explosion Relief Fund, promising quick implementation of the report.
Noting that the state government no longer had the luxury of further delay, Makinnde promised that the victims of the explosion would be assuaged, and assisted without further delay.
Makinde gave this latest commitment after the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal, received the committee report on his behalf at the Oyo Governor’s office, Ibadan, on Wednesday.
It would be recalled that the governor inaugurated this committee on December 24, 2024, to come up with recommendations on the disbursement and management of the Bodija Explosion Relief Fund.
The PUNCH had reported that the explosion happened on January 16, 2024, at Aderinola Street, Old Bodija, Ibadan, with casualties put at five deaths, 78 injuries, 58 houses damaged, and 335 persons affected, in total.
The governor said the state had to dig deep into the root cause of the unusual incident, and continuously put in place measures for the past year to enable the victims to return to normal lives after the incident.
“The government put this committee in place of which I am the chairman. Let me say clearly that my principal agreed that I must receive this report and that the government will act on the report.
“So, on behalf of His Excellency, I want to assure you that this report would be looked into quickly and the recommendations therein would be implemented.
“We know that we do not have the luxury of further delay in implementation. We will put in all the efforts that will be required for quick implementation so that victims of the explosion would be assuaged and assisted without further delay,” he said.
Earlier, a member of the committee, Fatai Owoseni, a retired police commissioner, who stood in for the chairman, gave a breakdown of the four-volume report.
He explained that the report was a convergence of inputs from the Dejo Oyelese Vigilante Group, Bodija Estate Residents Association and other experts.
Owoseni explained that the report detailed the framework for the distribution of government financial support pledged to the affected persons; reflects the breakdown of money apportioned to support respective affected persons and gives a detailed pictorial representation and description of damages recorded during the explosion.
Also speaking, the President of BERA, Muyiwa Bamgbose, said the committee proposed support for different categories of victims, including those who lost loved ones, buildings, vehicles and other valuables.
“We proposed support for different categories of people, for the families of those who lost their lives and those who lost buildings, vehicles and the rest. So, it varies.
“We recommended different figures depending on what we perceived was the level of effect on each of these people.
“We expect that, like His Excellency said, the implementation will be expedited. We have done due diligence and what we are presenting will be ready to go.”
