Mr. Adeyinka Ajayi, a Consultant to Oyo State Government has said that the N30,000 permit fee levied on drilling companies in the state was signed by the association in 2019.
He told newsmen on Thursday in Ibadan that the N30,000 was a reduction from the N50,000 levied on them in 2018, saying the policy is not new.
Pacesetter news reports that Ajayi had reacted to a statement credited to Mr. Michael Ale, the President, Association of Water and Borehole Drillers (AWDROP) over the N30,000 permit fee.
Recall that Ale had in a statement on Thursday, described the permit fee as anti-people policy.
Ale had advised Gov. Seyi Makinde against imposing the newly introduced policy of N30,000 permit fee for borehole drilling in the state, saying it would worsen the poverty stricken condition of the people.
But Ajayi, who is also the Chairman, Royalgem Multisector Limited, described the statement credited to Ale on the N30, 000 permit fee levied on drilling companies as unfortunate.
He said that the payment was levied on drilling companies and not the masses as claimed by Ale.
Ajayi said that the fee was reduced from N50,000 as agreed to by the associations in 2018 to N30,000 in June 2019 under the Makinde administration.
He noted that all the associations agreed with the state government and signed to pay the N30,000 permit fee.
Ajayi said that Ale’s grouse was as a result of a rig under his care which was impounded on Saturday, March 26.
“Ale did not comply with the payment and a notice of non-compliance which was sent to him on March 2. He got the letter, tored it and threw it to the person who delivered it to him.
“He had since then refused to collect any notices sent to him. This led to the impounding of a rig belonging to DSR Drilling Company under his cover on March 26,” he said.
Ajayi also suspected that Ale was being used by opposition elements in the state, adding their aim is to instigate others not to comply.
Also, Mr. Kolawole Olayiwola, AWDROP Chairman in Oyo State, corroborated Ajayi’s claim, saying AWDROP and Borehole Drilling Association of Nigeria (BORDAN) agreed on the N30,000 permit fee.
Olayiwola said that Ale can’t claim that he was not aware of the payment as agreed in 2019, adding that the statement credited to Ale is very unfortunate.
He said that the agreement as contained in the 2019 agreement was N75,000 for registration, N50,000 for annual renewal and N30,000 permit fee for borehole drilling.
The AWDROP Chairman wondered why Ale was just coming out in 2022 to kick against what had been signed since 2019.
“The agreement on this fees was signed on June 29, 2019 with the state government at the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
“On August 1, 2019 a compliance letter from Oyo State Board of Internal Revenue was sent to Ale”.
