By our Reporter
Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, Governor of Ondo State, has ordered a comprehensive boundary audit of the disputed forest reserve linked to Rex Forestry Limited in Ondo West Local Government Area as part of renewed efforts to restructure rural land use and attract investment into the state.
Aiyedatiwa gave the directive on Monday during a meeting with farmers from 27 communities affected by the dispute at the Cocoa Conference Hall, Akure.
He said the state government would adopt a structured land-use framework that accommodates both farmers and investors within clearly defined boundaries, stressing that speculation would not guide government decisions.
The governor noted that conflicting claims exist over the size of the concession, ranging from 37,000 to 50,000 hectares, while communities maintain that about 10,000 hectares are currently under cultivation by local farmers.
He directed the Surveyor-General to carry out a detailed verification and demarcation exercise, insisting that conclusions would be based strictly on verified data.
Aiyedatiwa assured farmers that no cocoa farms would be destroyed during the audit process, stating that all existing plantations would remain untouched.
“They are not touching your cocoa trees until we finish verification,” he said.
He explained that where adjustments become necessary, the government would adopt a phased transition model rather than forced displacement, adding that alternative farmlands and seedlings would be provided to affected farmers.
The governor also disclosed plans to establish new farm settlements under a long-term agricultural restructuring programme aimed at sustaining production and enhancing rural livelihoods.
Aiyedatiwa emphasised the need to balance rural livelihoods with investment inflows, describing large-scale investors as essential to job creation, industrial growth and infrastructure expansion.
He maintained that concessions granted by previous administrations remain valid, stressing that policy continuity must be respected in land administration.
The governor further highlighted ongoing private sector participation in rural infrastructure, revealing that an investor is constructing a 27-kilometre road valued at about N1 billion to open up farming communities in the axis.
According to him, such interventions will improve market access for farmers and create jobs for local youths.
Aiyedatiwa urged residents to avoid confrontation with investors, advising that grievances should be channelled through appropriate government institutions.
He advocated a mixed land-use system that integrates smallholder farmers with large-scale agribusinesses, insisting that both are critical to sustainable agricultural development in the state.
Earlier, Chief Executive Officer of the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA), Emmanuel Omomowo, said the government had been mediating disputes arising from investor concessions within forest reserves.
He explained that Rex Forestry Limited holds a 37,000-hectare concession, but boundary uncertainties and competing community claims had made high-level intervention necessary.
Omomowo expressed confidence that the governor’s intervention would deliver a balanced and lasting resolution that safeguards both community interests and investment objectives.
General Chairman of the Ondo Ilulade Cocoa Farmers Cooperative Society, Chief Philip Akinbanjo, commended the governor for reassuring farmers that their cocoa farms would not be encroached upon and urged continued cooperation among stakeholders.
Also speaking, Special Stakeholders Adviser to Rex Forestry Limited, Olu Agunloye, said the company had earlier agreed with the Ministry of Agriculture to allow farmers to continue cultivation in non-cleared areas within the concession.
He said Rex Forestry had accepted the governor’s directive and would operate within the emerging framework designed to ensure peaceful coexistence between farmers and investors.
Present at the meeting were Deputy Governor, Olayide Adelami; Chief of Staff, Segun Omojuwa; Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Leye Akinola; and other top government officials, lawmakers, traditional rulers and stakeholders.
