Ogun bankers’ strike: You’re working for opposition -Govt •‘We’re not at loggerheads with govt’

The Ogun State government, on Thursday, accused Ijebuland Bankers’ Forum of acting under the influence of some elements in the state to discredit the administration of  Senator Ibikunle Amosun, as bankers in Ijebu and Remo divisions commence strike.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa.
The statement said the state government  had spent N3.7billion to provide security in the state in the last nine months.
It described the statement credited to Mr Segun Olusoga, the chairman of Ijebuland Bankers’ Forum, that bankers in the axis would not return to work until the security situation in the state improved as reckless.
The statement further said: “We view the statement as a calculated attempt to portray our government as insensitive and unresponsive, particularly since we have always provided periodic information to the Bankers’ Forum on the sustained efforts to provide necessary equipment for security agencies in the state. The decision by the Bankers’ Forum to deny customers access to banking services on account of insecurity is gradually turning to blackmail.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we need to put it on record that in the nine months that this administration has spent in office, we have invested almost N3.7 billion to provide security for our people. Last December, we ordered for 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to complement the two we met on ground. Even at that, only one of the two was working.  We quickly repaired the other.
“These were measures aimed at tackling the immediate security challenge. We equally purchased 125 patrol vans equipped with communication gadgets for the use of the anti-crime joint military-police task force that we established, ‘Operation Mesa’, the Quick Response Squad (QRS) and other security agencies. Some of the patrol vans had been deployed.”
While reacting, Mr Olusoga said the Forum was not at loggerheads with the state government, adding that he was not a card-carrying member of any political party.