By Dipo Olowookere
Kwara State government says it has paid compensation to the customary land owners of the new site at Asa River Bank in Ilorin where fish farmers are to be relocated.
The government has also allotted the land at Yidi road currently being used by the fish farmers to Tuyil Pharmaceutical Industry to enable the company expand its factory.
Director-General of the State Bureau of Lands, Mr Ibrahim Salman, made this disclosure on Thursday while reacting to claims that the customary land owners of the new site have not been duly compensated by the government.
He noted that the decision to relocate the fish farmers to a new site was based on reports that the presence of fish ponds at Yidi road posed security threats to residents of the area, noting that the State government had received several reports that hoodlums and burglars disturbed people of the area, and would escape through the fish farm.
The DG explained that in order to secure the area and protect residents, the land was allotted to owners of Tuyil pharmaceutical company, who had earlier approached the State government for the use of the land to expand their factory.
Providing further explanation, Mr Salman disclosed that the state government decided to concession the land to Tuyil in view of its importance to the state economy as a major employer of labour in Kwara.
The DG assured that the Kwara State government will continue to provide support for industrialists to enable them add value to the State.
