Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, is set to commission a series of completed infrastructure projects executed by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) across oil-producing communities in the state.
The projects, valued at over N4 billion, were completed within one year of the current OSOPADEC board’s administration and are part of efforts to improve living conditions and accelerate development in the mandate areas.
Chairman of OSOPADEC, Olabiyi Poroye, disclosed this during a project assessment tour organised to mark his first year in office.
According to him, the Commission adopted a deliberate policy of completing inherited and abandoned projects before initiating new ones, a strategy he said has yielded visible results across the oil-producing communities.
“Exactly one year ago, we accepted the responsibility of leading OSOPADEC with a promise that the resources entrusted to us would be translated into visible projects, improved livelihoods and renewed hope for our people. Today, we can confidently say that we have kept faith with that promise,” Poroye said.
Among the projects awaiting commissioning by Governor Aiyedatiwa are the General Hospital at Agadagba-Obon, the one-kilometre Igbotu Township Road, the 1,000-metre concrete walkway with jetty at Obenla, and concrete landing walkways at Oberewoye, Obe Ogbaro, Obe Magbe and Obe Lomore.
Director of Project Monitoring, Aluko Dipo, revealed that the completed projects accounted for more than N4 billion in budget execution.
“We are talking about billions of naira. The concrete landing walkways are averagely between N45 million and N50 million each and we have completed four of them. The Obenla concrete walkway alone cost N1.7 billion and has been completed,” he said.
Poroye added that OSOPADEC has also commenced the construction of a Naval Security Post with walkways at Atijere, while major ongoing projects include the Aboto-Atijere Road, Omuro International Market in Ode-Ugbo, the School of Maritime Transport and Logistics in Ugbo-Nla, and a concrete sedimentation tank at the Aboto Water Treatment Plant.
Speaking during the inspection, OSOPADEC Permanent Secretary, Adewale Omomowo, praised the administration for replacing unsafe wooden walkways with modern concrete structures fitted with solar-powered streetlights.
“This concrete walkway is very impressive. Unlike in the past when we used planks for walkways, this is much more enjoyable. With the solar lights and the one-kilometre walkway, it shows that Mr. Governor is truly interested in the welfare of his people,” he said.
Residents and traditional leaders in the benefiting communities also lauded the intervention, describing the projects as transformative and long overdue.
The traditional ruler of Sabomi Kingdom, Oba Felix Adeyemi Koledoye, said the ongoing road project would reconnect several communities to economic and social opportunities, while Obenla Community Chairman, John Alomore, noted that the new concrete walkway had eliminated the dangers associated with the former wooden bridge.
The commissioning is expected to further underscore the Aiyedatiwa administration’s commitment to infrastructure development and improved service delivery in the state’s oil-producing communities.