Elders of Ogun State border communities under the aegis of Yewa People Development Council (YPDC) have appealed to the Federal Government to consider the lifting of the embargo on the supply of petroleum products to filling stations across land border communities.

Recall that the Acting Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, had said that the Federal Government would open petrol stations along the international border areas to ease the hardship being faced by the residents of border areas.

The Chairman, YPDC Board of Trustee and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Rahman Bello, said eminent sons and daughters of the region were already holding talks with the federal government as part of steps aimed at addressing the economic challenges of the region.

He urged both the federal and state governments to upgrade and invest more on infrastructure needs of the border communities in order to scale up standard of living in the zone.

Bello said said the council will be taking up the many challenges facing Yewaland as border communities and ensure that it doesn’t hinder them in the course of their developments.

He said the council is working on the issue of the 20-kilometer restrictions of fuel supplies to the border amd already following up to ensure that it is fully removed.

Bello also lamented that youths of the community are being used as couriers, in most cases by the smugglers, making them to abandon their schools and seeing such as a business.

“So, we know our challenges and we know where they are. We have been facing them, but we are going to engage the federal, state and local governments to ensure that we get the right things in our areas infrastructurally, as well as developmentally,” he said.

Bello also briefed journalists on the activities lined up towards the 2023 edition of Yewa Cultural Festival, which began over the weekend in Ilaro.

He explained that YPDC is a creation of the Yewa Traditional Council aimed at coordinating the efforts of all pan-Yewa development organisations towards effective development and representation of Yewaland.

Bello said the 2023 Yewa Festival is expected to showcase all the cultural diversities of Yewaland including its people to the world, adding that the momentum to be created by the festival is expected to lay the foundation of a tourism schedule of Nigeria and the world.

He said an economic summit with the theme “Re-Invigorating Yewa Agenda-From Vision to Reality” will be addressed by Professor Tope Popoola who will be speaking on “Re-Appraising Educational Strategies as Veritable Tool for Community Development.”

He said the topic, “Harnessing and Maximising Youth Potentials for Empowerment and Transformation of Yewaland” to be delivered by Special Adviser and Commissioner Designate, Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan.