By our Reporter
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa,of Ondo State on Saturday commissioned a one-kilometre concrete walkway and a potable water supply scheme in Obe-Nla, Ilaje Local Government Area, while flagging off the construction of an additional three-kilometre concrete walkway aimed at improving mobility and living conditions in the state’s riverine communities.
Speaking during the commissioning, Governor Aiyedatiwa said the projects underscored his administration’s commitment to ensuring that every part of the state, regardless of geographical challenges, enjoys the dividends of good governance under the EASE Agenda.
He described the projects as more than physical infrastructure, noting that they were practical solutions to the long-standing challenges faced by residents of coastal communities.
“This occasion is far more than the inauguration of concrete infrastructure. It is a reaffirmation of our administration’s unwavering resolve to ensure that no community, however distant or geographically challenged, is left behind in our march towards shared prosperity,” the governor said.
The governor recalled that for decades, residents of many riverine communities relied on unsafe wooden walkways across swampy terrain, exposing them to accidents while restricting access to schools, healthcare facilities and commercial activities.
Responding to those who might underestimate the significance of the projects, Aiyedatiwa said only those familiar with life in the riverine communities could truly appreciate their impact.
He also assured residents that his administration would embark on land reclamation projects to create more habitable land for communities threatened by flooding and coastal erosion.
“We are going to give land to our people through reclamation in the days ahead,” he declared.
Governor Aiyedatiwa also commissioned a rehabilitated potable water supply scheme, explaining that the project involved the restoration of a previously abandoned borehole inherited from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The intervention included the installation of a 50,000-litre elevated overhead tank, an extensive water reticulation network and a modern reverse osmosis water treatment facility to provide safe drinking water.
According to him, the facility will serve not only Obe-Nla but also neighbouring communities.
The governor highlighted several ongoing infrastructure projects across the riverine axis, including the 38.5-kilometre Aboto-Atijere Road, the General Hospital at Agadagba-Obon, a two-million-gallon-per-day water sedimentation tank at Aboto, the Molutehin mini water scheme and various community projects executed through the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
He added that work is progressing on the 8.5-kilometre dual carriageway linking College Road to Okitipupa Junction through Irewole Roundabout in Igbokoda, as well as the Igbokoda-Okitipupa dual carriageway, while contracts have also been awarded for the Irele-Sabo-Mahin-Ugbo Road, selected roads in Igbokoda and the Zion-Pepe-Agerige Road.
The governor further assured residents of Aiyetoro and other vulnerable shoreline communities that his administration was collaborating with the Federal Government and development partners, including HITECH Construction Company, to address coastal erosion, flooding and sea incursion.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Engr. Abiola Olawoye, described the projects as another demonstration of Governor Aiyedatiwa’s determination to deliver impactful infrastructure to riverine communities.
He disclosed that the newly flagged-off three-kilometre concrete walkway had been redesigned with increased width to accommodate canoes and would be constructed using reinforced concrete beams and 250mm diameter pipes for durability.
In his welcome address, the Executive Chairman of OSOPADEC, Prince Olabiyi Poroye, described the commissioning as the fulfilment of the government’s promise to oil-producing communities.
He noted that the commission had continued to translate government resources into measurable development, citing bursary and scholarship awards to 4,873 students from Ilaje and Ese-Odo during the 2023/2024 academic session, alongside sustained monthly stipends for traditional rulers, senior citizens, vulnerable persons and youths engaged in maritime security.
Poroye also listed completed projects executed by OSOPADEC to include the General Hospital at Agadagba-Obon, the one-kilometre Igbotu Township Road, the Obe-Nla concrete walkway and several concrete landing walkways across Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Government Areas.
Highlighting the environmental threats facing the coastal region, he expressed concern over the impact of climate change, particularly in communities such as Ayetoro, Idi-Ogba, Gbagira, Awoye, Mese and Abereke, which continue to experience severe coastal erosion and ocean surges.
To attract global partnerships, Poroye announced that OSOPADEC would participate in the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, where it would host an OSOPADEC Pavilion to showcase the realities of Ondo’s coastal communities and seek international support for climate resilience and sustainable development.
He also disclosed that the commission would organise the OSOPADEC International Conference on Climate Change** in Abuja from March 15 to 17, 2027, bringing together governments, development partners, investors and climate experts to develop sustainable solutions for vulnerable coastal communities.
The Chairman of Ilaje Local Government, Moris Oripanye, commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for the developmental projects and reaffirmed the support of the people for his administration.
Among dignitaries present at the event were the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti; the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Prince Segun Omojuwa; members of the State Executive Council, political appointees, traditional rulers and other stakeholders.
