The head of the Taskforce on borehole drilling and Chairman of the All Drillers Association in Oyo State, Engr. Kolawole Olayinka has reacted to a news which kicked against his position as Chairman of all drilling companies in the state.
Remember, some members and stakeholders of the Indigenous Boreholes Drillers Association of Nigeria, Oyo State chapter, under the chairmanship of Comrade Ajibola Anjorin recently kicked against an alleged imposition of Engr. Kolawole Olayinka as the Chairman of all borehole drillers and practitioners in Oyo state, insisting that Olayinka remains the government consultant.
This was as a reaction to earlier publications in some national dailies, online blogs and radio stations where Olayinka kicked against the undue exploitation of Indian borehole drillers in Oyo State.
In his reaction on Saturday, Olayinka noted that he still remains the Chairman of all borehole drilling companies in the state. According to him, the people who spoke against him for kicking against exploitations by Indian borehole drillers are saboteurs who are sabotaging efforts of the state government and trying to ruin the industry.
In statement made available to journalists on Saturday and personally signed by him, Olayinka said: "These are people who don't have any stake in the industry. Therefore, 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. Therefore, 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'.
"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.
"The relationship between these people and the Indians is that, they are intermidiaries 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.
"I therefore want to advise members of the public to be careful with these people. We have cases of them collecting money from clients and would be chased around with police.
"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. 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', Olayinka sounded words of warning.