Residents of Osogbo whose shops and houses were demolished along the MDS, Ola-Iya and Fakunke axis of the town, on Monday staged a peaceful protest over the nonpayment of their compensation by the Osun state government.

The protesters, in their large numbers, stormed the Government House at Oke-Fia, with placards, appealing to the state government to pay their compensation.

Some of the inscriptions on the placards include “Gov. Oyetola, We Waited Enough, Please Do The Needful, Pay Us Our Compensation,” “Pay Our Compensation, Many of Us Are Dead”.

Addressing journalists at the protest scene, Funke Afolabi, spokesperson of the protesters, said their buildings were demolished in 2013 by the state government.

Ms Afolabi said the state government promised the affected owners of the building compensation, but all efforts to get it had proved abortive.

She said Governor Oyetola, the Chief of Staff to the then governor, Rauf Aregbesola, should understand their plight.

“The state government demolished our shops and houses for road construction, and we were promised that we would be compensated.

“But since 2013 till date, we are yet to get anything from the government,” she said.

Reacting, Funke Egbemode, the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, appealed to the protesters to be patient with the government.

“The issue of compensation is a process, and those who are due for it will get their compensation at the appropriate time,” Ms Egbemode said.

Also, Remi Omowaye, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, said the protesters should be patient, adding that the government would reach out to them once the resources were available.

(NAN)