.Demands end to conversion of public properties for private development
The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) has warned Governor Seyi Makinde against any attempt to sell or allocate the land belonging to Cheshire Home in Eleyele, Ibadan to private property developers, describing the move as another disturbing development in the controversy surrounding the disposal of public assets under his administration.
The organisation expressed concern that the proposed disposal of the Cheshire Home landed property could follow what it described as a troubling pattern of transferring valuable public land and properties to private commercial interests.
In a statement by Bisi Oladele, Director of Media and Publicity, SSACO said the recurring controversies over the ownership, allocation and commercial development of public properties have raised fundamental questions about the Makinde administration’s stewardship on assets belonging to the people of the state.
“Questions have continued to arise over the conversion of public assets to private commercial use. The reported plan involving Cheshire Home in Eleyele has further heightened concerns about the future of public properties in the state.
“Governor Makinde must understand that he is a temporary custodian of the people’s commonwealth, not its absolute owner. Public assets are not personal possessions to be disposed of at the pleasure of any administration.
“These properties were acquired, developed or preserved over the years to serve the collective interests of the people. Their future must not be determined by commercial considerations alone, without transparency, public consultation and compelling justification.” The statement warned.
The organisation noted that public land in strategic locations across Ibadan and other parts of the state represents an invaluable inheritance that should be preserved for future generations, particularly as the state continues to experience rapid population growth and increasing demand for public infrastructure and social amenities.
It questioned the wisdom of disposing such assets when successive administrations would require land for schools, hospitals, recreational facilities, social welfare institutions and other essential public services.
“What will be left for future generations if every strategically located public property is converted into a private estate, shopping complex or commercial development?
“Government should be creating and expanding public infrastructure, not diminishing the stock of public assets inherited from previous administrations.
“Governor Makinde has a duty to preserve the assets of Oyo State for the benefit of its people. His administration must not leave behind a legacy of depleted public properties and unanswered questions over the management of the state’s commonwealth.
“We therefore demand an immediate halt to any contemplated sale or allocation of Cheshire Home land to private developers and insist that all transactions involving public assets be subjected to the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
“Oyo State belongs to its people, and its collective inheritance must be protected,” the statement said.
