Borehole Industry: Saboteurs At Work To Frustrate Oyo Govt Efforts In Sanitizing Industry – Engr Olayinka
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Head of Taskforce on Borehole Drilling and Chairman of All Drillers Association in Oyo State Engr. Kolawole Olayinka has raised alarm of alleged ploy by faceless elements to sabotage the state government efforts in sanitizing the industry.
The Head of Taskforce Force in a statement at the weekend alerted that the faceless elements are determined to ruin the industry in Oyo state with the alleged exploitations by foreign borehole drillers in the state.
Engr Olayinka maintained that as part of their ploys, the faceless elements are alleging that he is no longer the Chairman of the association, saying, he remained the Chairman of all borehole drilling companies in Oyo state.
“These are people who don’t have any stake in the industry. They are not stakeholders at all as they call themselves. If you’re a stakeholder, you must pay tax to the government. They should also have offices”, he said.
The Task Force Head added, ” They are faceless individuals who have damaged state government in the past and also took the government to court. So, which collaboration do they want from the government now? They have bitten the fingers that fed them and that’s what is hurting them”.
“The Indians want to milk the citizens of Oyo State dry and we said no! These my accusers are people that have been alleged severally of collecting monies for jobs and won’t do it. I have a lot of cases we are battling against these ‘hoodlums’.
Engr Olayinka noted, “These are people who had learnt one trade or other but when they didn’t find it lucrative, they dabbled into borehole drilling. That is why we are going on air always to alert members of the public”.
“We have a card we want to use against these ‘hoodlums’ to identify the original drillers from the counterfeits and to checkmate members. How can some people be dictating to the government? They want government to do some things for them but they are not stakeholders”.
Engr Olayinka said, “The relationship between these people and the Indians is that, they are intermediaries between the Indian borehole drilling companies and the clients. Therefore, they are happy and comfortable with how the Indians are exploiting members of the public”.
“They have no good roles to play than sabotage and exploit people. They call themselves indigenous drillers, ask them that when did that name come into existence? We have been existing for the past 15 years. We are known in Federal Capital Territory and in Oyo State. We give government advice about borehole drilling and they listen.
Advising the public to be careful with these people, he stressed, ” We have cases of them collecting money from clients and would be chased around with police. I see this act as unpatriotic. And I want to say that, if any member of the public gives jobs to people without our I D card, the person is at his or her own risk.”
“We issued the earlier statement on Indian exploitations after we compared drilling cost in Oyo State to other states in the country and we called for redress. And instead of supporting our stance, they went to the press to speak against us at the detriment of their people,” he said.
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