Deji, Falae urge FG to include Akure in railway route

THE Deji and paramount ruler of Akure Kingdom, Ondo State, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Odundun II, and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, have called on the Federal Government to include Akure in the proposed railway route that is expected to pass through the South West.

The monarch stated this while inaugurating the Odun Ulefunta/oyemekun 2018 Committee at his palace at the weekend. The advertised route of the railway is said to be from Calabar-uyoAba- Ph-yenagoa-otuokeUghelli-warri-sapele-agbor-as aba-onitsha-benin-ore-ijebuOde-sagamu-lagos.

While raising concerns on the publicised route of the railway as indicated in media reports, he said it will be a great disservice to the people of Ondo and will equally place it at great economic disadvantage if the railway does not pass through the capital.

Oba Aladetoyinbo said the Federal Government cannot afford to shy away from the economic potentials of the state and more importantly, the strategic position of Ondo State and Akure in par- ticular in the geographical setting of Nigeria, maintaining that the inclusion of Akure in the railway route will also be in the best interest of national development.

Falae, while commending the monarch for his love for the progress and development of Akureland, expressed happiness at the new crop of Akure sons and daughters for showing interest in the development of the land.