Aiyedatiwa vows rapid development for Ondo oil communities
…As OSOPADEC engages stakeholders on 2026 budget planning Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has pledged accelerated development for oil-producing communities in Ondo State as the State Oil Producing Areas Development
...As OSOPADEC engages stakeholders on 2026 budget planning
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has pledged accelerated development for oil-producing communities in Ondo State as the State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) begins consultations for its 2026 budget.
Aiyedatiwa made the commitment at a stakeholders summit held at Igbokoda, in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state on Thursday.
At the event, many community leaders, professionals and residents deliberated on development priorities across the mandate areas.
Addressing the stakeholders, Aiyedatiwa said the summit was aimed at deepening grassroots participation, transparency and accountability in governance.
The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Segun Omojuwa, asked stakeholders to actively contribute to the budgeting process, stressing that development must reflect the real needs of the people.
According to him, meaningful progress can only be achieved when communities take ownership of projects and are fully involved in decision-making.
Aiyedatiwa, who acknowledged years of neglect in many oil-producing communities in the state, assured that his administration would reverse the trend through targeted interventions.
He, however, said government alone could not drive development, calling for collaboration among stakeholders, development partners and the private sector.
"This gathering represents more than just a meeting; it reflects our collective commitment to purposeful governance, inclusive development, and sustainable growth in our oil-producing communities.
"I commend the leadership of the commission for taking this bold step to engage critical stakeholders ahead of the 2026 budget. This approach reinforces our belief that development must be participatory, transparent, and accountable to the people it is meant to serve.
"As we look ahead to the 2026 budget, I assure you of our commitment to seamless implementation once it is finalized. That is part of the reason we are here today, to ensure your meaningful contributions are reflected
"We will ensure that every allocation translates into tangible benefits for our people. We will also uphold accountability and transparency in the use of public funds for development projects and programmes," he said.
The chairman of OSOPADEC, Prince Biyi Proye, said the summit was designed to present a baseline development report and obtain stakeholders’ input for the planning of the 2026 budget.
Poroye explained that the report, covering Ese Odo and Ilaje Local Government Areas, was presented for validation to ensure accuracy and inclusiveness.
He said the commission also brought together over a thousand stakeholders to discuss development ideas, noting that participants had earlier been organised into committees to generate proposals.
The OSOPADEC boss disclosed that the commission was planning an international conference in October to address climate change issues affecting coastal communities.
According to him, the conference is expected to attract global attention and support, as government resources alone are insufficient to tackle the developmental challenges in the mandate areas.
"The resources the government is putting in the mandate area alone cannot help us. What OSOPADEC is doing alone cannot help us. We need our friends, sympathisers,donors, believers in development in helping less privileged and less developed areas to come to the aid of the mandate areas," Poroye said.
He, therefore, called on donors, partners and other stakeholders to support efforts at improving the living conditions of people in the oil-producing communities.
