Oriyomi Oluseyi
‘Fight for Ondo’s Coastal Areas or Secure FG Special Intervention Fund for Shoreline Protection, Roads, Dredging’
The Executive Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Prince Biyi Poroye, has appealed to ministers, federal lawmakers representing Ondo State and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to secure the inclusion of the Ilaje and Ese-Odo axes in the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project.
Poroye stressed the need to end the blame game over the exclusion of parts of the oil-producing areas, which are severely affected by sea incursion and climate change. He urged stakeholders to unite in pursuing a lasting solution to the environmental challenges confronting the affected communities.
Poroye made the call during a visit by a high-powered delegation comprising representatives of OSOPADEC, the Ondo State Ministry of Environment and the Ugboland Host Communities Development Trust to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele.
The OSOPADEC helmsman maintained that the controversy surrounding the Ondo State section of the coastal highway should not degenerate into political finger-pointing, stressing that the focus should remain on securing tangible benefits for the affected communities.
According to him, ministers and senators representing Ondo State must take responsibility for ensuring that the concerns of their constituents receive the necessary attention at the federal level.
“We must stop the blame game. This is a Federal Government project, not a state government project. It requires a collaborative effort from everyone who has a responsibility to protect the interests of Ondo State,” Poroye declared.
He argued that while Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has a responsibility to present the needs of Ondo State to President Bola Tinubu, federal ministers and senators from the state must also leverage their positions and influence within the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly to secure a favourable outcome for their people.
“I can confirm authoritatively that Governor Aiyedatiwa has, on several occasions, consistently appealed to the President, the Minister of Works and Hitech Construction Company to reconsider the current design of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road to accommodate other axes of the coastal region,” he stated.
Poroye specifically urged the state's federal representatives to engage the Minister of Works, David Umahi, to reconsider the alignment of the coastal road and restore the Ilaje and Ese-Odo axes to the original route.
He stressed that the responsibility should not rest solely on the governor, noting that ministers and senators had been appointed or elected to positions that should enable them to use their influence to advance the collective interests of the state.
“If we are saying the governor is not speaking enough, does that mean you, too, will not speak because you are not the governor? Are you not an indigene of Ondo State? This is not about political sentiments; it is about the future of our people,” he said.
POROYE DEMANDS SPECIAL INTERVENTION FUND
Beyond the coastal road alignment, the OSOPADEC Chairman called for a comprehensive Federal Government special intervention fund to address the wider infrastructure and environmental challenges facing Ilaje and other vulnerable coastal communities.
He explained that if the Federal Government could not extend the coastal highway to adequately serve the Ilaje and Ese-Odo axes, it must provide an alternative intervention package capable of delivering meaningful development to the affected communities.
The proposed intervention, he said, should cover critical infrastructure, shoreline protection, waterway dredging, flood control, access roads, livelihood restoration and related security concerns.
Among the priority road projects Poroye wants the Federal Government to consider are the Ugbo–Oghoye Road, described as a major route; the Akintubuwa–Mahin–Ugbo–Ugbonla Road, an existing route requiring widening to connect with the coastal highway; the proposed Ugbonla–Aiyetoro Road; and the Agadagba–Obon–Arogbo Road.
He also identified the Araromi–Alape–Agerige–Lagos Road and the Ilutitun–Mahintedo–Itebu-Kunmi–Atijere Road, among other critical routes, as deserving urgent attention.
Poroye maintained that the special intervention fund would help address longstanding challenges in the riverine communities and ensure that residents derived tangible benefits from the Federal Government's coastal development initiative.
He appealed to Oyedele to use his office to engage his colleagues and facilitate the necessary federal attention, pointing out that the Ministry of Finance's role in the national budget process made the minister an important stakeholder in securing funding for critical interventions.
Congratulating Oyedele on his appointment, Poroye described the visit as an opportunity to engage a key federal decision-maker on issues affecting the people of Ondo State.
He praised the minister's team, including his chief of staff, and expressed confidence that the meeting could open new avenues for resolving concerns surrounding the coastal road.
Poroye said the delegation was encouraged by the opportunity to present the demands of the affected communities directly to the minister, urging him to help build consensus among the relevant federal authorities.
He also called on the three senators representing Ondo State to engage relevant federal ministers on the matter, describing such consultations as a priority in the ongoing efforts to secure a favourable outcome.
He urged political leaders, public officeholders and other stakeholders across the state to put aside partisan considerations and work collectively towards a resolution.
The Commissioner for Environment in Ondo State, Dr. Tob Loko, was represented by the ministry's Permanent Secretary, Engr. Akin Omotola. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ugboland Host Communities Development Trust, Sir Benson Obayelu, and other stakeholders also joined the appeal for urgent Federal Government intervention in the worsening situation in the coastal region.
Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Mohammad Sanusi, who represented the Minister of Finance, assured the delegation of the Federal Government's readiness to explore possible areas of intervention in collaboration with OSOPADEC.
He emphasised the need for sustained engagement with relevant federal agencies to address the environmental and infrastructural challenges confronting oil-producing areas in Ondo State.
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