By Motolani AbdulGafar
Indigenes of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government have appealed to the government to create beneficial opportunities for them concerning land grabbing, and non-indigene authorisation among others in the area.
They lamented that although the Ibeju-Lekki has in recent times witnessed great development as compared to other local governments, but then little or no resources were made available for indigenes from benefitting from the success story.
They said Ibeju-Lekki has the highest land mass with a total of 643.00sq. km. in Lagos State but most areas have been plundered by the government through corrupt community representatives who pocket the interest and render stipends the real land owners.
They cited the instances of the developmental projects established or planned to be executed in the area such as the biggest refinery, one of the biggest seaports, La Campagne Tropicana, the best beach resort, Lakowe lakes, the biggest golfing estate, proposed Airport, Lekki Free Trade Zone among others but which are less profitable to indigenes.
Speaking on a social media platform, Ibeju Lekki Decide, Muyideen Abiodun wrote: “Labour supply has taken over all. It is the indigenes that are doing the dirty work all over these companies like kitchen (CHEF), security, labour, washing cloth for India’s among others whereas the gap of unemployment is still vacant as most graduates are still job seekers.”
Supporting Abiodun’s claim, Wasiu Abenise wrote: “…even slots that were extended to the community were used by our elders as they sell some of them out in examples like the refinery project where you have to pay 30% of your salary before employment or your first salary will be divided into two, which means pay before service.”
They also related the scenario of 15 Hi-Tech indigene workers who were casual workers laid off after transferring the work to a contractor that did not consider the indigenes of Ibeju-Lekki who are Hi-Tech workers.
They solicited the intervention of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Chairman before it escalate to something else.
