Oke Ohu Community Cries Out to Ondo Government – We Are Sitting on a Time Bomb Over Ebenezer Quarry Company Blasting
……Says the current situation is unsustainable and dangerous………..
The residents of Oke Ohu community, located just after the Shasha Market in Oba-Ile, Akure North Local Government Area, have raised a passionate alarm, calling on the Ondo State Government to urgently intervene in what they describe as a looming environmental disaster caused by ongoing quarry blasting operations by Ebenezer Quarry Company.
The community, which boasts over 300 residential homes and houses more than 1,000 residents, says it is now living in fear as recent stone blasting activities by the company have resulted in severe damage to properties, some valued in the millions of naira.
According to eyewitnesses and residents, massive stone particles from the quarrying explosions have landed dangerously close to residential buildings, with some even crashing into living rooms and front porches, narrowly missing occupants. Windows have been shattered, roofs damaged, and walls cracked, leaving many homes structurally compromised and uninhabitable.
One resident, popularly know as MAMA EGBIRA, shared her ordeal:
“Some weeks ago, during one of their blasting sessions, a huge stone landed just inches from where my husband was washing his car. We all ran out thinking it was an earthquake and today, the stone fell on our roof and penetrated into my living room, This is no longer acceptable. Are they waiting for someone to die before action is taken?” She said.
Another community member, Mr. Oluwanifemi, added:
“This quarry started operations years ago when the area was still underdeveloped. But now, Oke Ohu has grown significantly. We have schools, churches, and homes here. It’s no longer suitable for heavy industrial activity like this. The government must act now before tragedy strikes.”
Residents are united in their demand for an immediate halt to the quarry’s operations, stating that the company’s activities have become incompatible with the densely populated and rapidly developing nature of the area.
Community leaders are now appealing to the Ondo State Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to conduct a full environmental and safety assessment of the quarry site. They stress the need for the government to either relocate the quarry or enforce stricter safety regulations, as the current situation is unsustainable and dangerous.
The people of Oke Ohu are also calling on the Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to personally intervene and protect the lives and properties of his citizens.
“This is a ticking time bomb, and we are pleading with the state government to act now before it explodes into an irreversible disaster,” said Rev.Dr Oladapo a respected elder in the community.
The residents of Oke Ohu are not just complaining , they are issuing a desperate plea for help. With homes already damaged and lives at risk, the call for government intervention is not only timely but critical. The safety, peace, and future of this once-quiet community now hang in the balance.
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