OSOPADEC promises more projects in Ondo coastal communities

The people of coastal communities in Ese-Odo and Ilaje local government areas of Ondo State have been assured of projects that would make life more meaningful to them.

Chairman of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Gbenga Edema, who made this promise while speaking on the activities of the commission in the last one year, said the commission would redouble its efforts in ameliorating the suffering of the people.

According to him, the commission had disbursed about N221.24 million as  bursary for 5,337 students in tertiary institutions from the two local government areas,  saying “the commission will continue to give priority to education in the area to usher unprecedented development.”

He disclosed that the administrative process for the payment for the 2015/2016 edition of the scheme had begun and that the scholarship fund would be disbursed without delay.

Highlighting other  projects embarked upon by OSOPADEC in the coastal area,  Edema said the commission’s biggest achievement was the kick-off of the 51-kilometre Araromi Seaside-Igbo Edu –Akodo-Ise-Lagos road by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, on March 14, 2017.

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Edema said the  road project which would cost N19 billion is being co-funded by OSOPADEC and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and is expected to be completed within the next 36 months.

Speaking on uncompleted projects in the area,  he said: “In respect of  inherited projects, the commission  is working on the problematic portion of the Okitipupa-Ayeka-Araromi-Irele road.

“In the next two months by the grace of God, we are optimistic that the road would be ready for use.

“The internal roads at the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), Okitipupa, which hitherto had been abandoned were adopted by the commission and completed within the year, the roads have since been inaugurated by the governor as part of activities marking his administration’s one year in office.

“Similarly, the Aboto Water Project and the reticulation to Igbokoda had been completed. We are already going through the process of test-run and quality assurance check.

“We are also optimistic that the project would be inaugurated by the governor soon.”

He said the commission had also improved health facilities in the area through its health intervention programme.

He said the commission had been collaborating with some selected government-owned health establishments in the state, saying that about N15 million had been expended on the project with 22 patients with life-threatening health challenges benefiting from the scheme.